Artemis Fowl and the New World War
by R.C.C
Summary: With several nations waving nuclear bomb threats, will there be anything left of the human race? And will the fairies just watch the surface of their planet become a radioactive wasteland? Set after OD. UPDATE: I tried to get rid of all the weird symbols
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Summary:

A third World War has erupted and science is a priority, the side with the newest, most powerful weapons seems to be the one to win. The United States, the U.K., Ireland, Australia and France have joined forces to band together their scientists. Ireland has donated their famous Artemis Fowl II, famed theorist, inventor and overall scientist. At the young age of 22 Artemis has the chance to change the fate of the world. With several nations waving nuclear bomb threats, will there be anything left of the human race? And will the fairies just remain in Haven and watch the surface of their planet become a radioactive wasteland because of the unruly Mud men?

Prologue

**Fowl Manor**

_"We have just received word that Germany has joined in alliance with Russia and China. This brings the tally of countries at war to ten with the Protectorate consisting of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Australia, and France and the Empire consisting of Russia, China, Germany, North Kor-" _

"Oh turn that thing off!" Angeline Fowl cried despairingly at her husband as she threw herself down on the luxurious couch. Master Artemis Fowl complied quietly with the streamlined remote. Master Fowl's prosthetic leg was propped up on a stool with an icepack resting where the metal met the flesh. However, it was not he that both of the Fowls despaired for; it was for their son.

Artemis Fowl II had received a masters in science four years earlier from Oxford and was the youngest to do so yet, at eighteen years of age and had received a doctorate rather recently. Now Artemis was the leading theorist, inventor and overall scientist in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and perhaps even the world; and everyone wanted him. Earlier on in the week Artemis received a letter from the Irish Government requesting his services in the Intelligence division of the military and today he was leaving to meet with the Intelligence Council, his soon-to-be co-workers. He was currently spending his remaining free minutes with his wife, Madeline Barrett Fowl out in the gardens she loved so much.

Yes, Artemis Fowl had already found a wife. She had received her bachelors degree in Literature from Oxford the same year Artemis got his masters. They met during an excursion to an impressionistic art exhibit, and despite the four year age difference in her favor and the rather cool demeanor of the young billionaire, quickly became close. Madeline was the only daughter of a well-to-do family from Wales but she moved into the Fowl Manor after their marriage. Now she and her collected husband sat in the quiet gardens, enjoying the crisp spring breeze.

"It's not as if I'm going to be in the front lines," Artemis finally stammered out. "I won't be fighting at all. I won't even been gone for too long, I'll be back before you notice I'm gone," he added and reached for her small hand. Artemis' pale slender fingers wrapped around Madeline's small olive ones. A gargantuan diamond set in a spiraling white gold ring glistened in the sunlight on her ring finger. She looked down at it.

"I know," she said quietly and a twig snapped as the announcement of a new arrival. Both Artemis and Madeline looked up to see Angeline leaning on the doorsill and there was an awkward pause.

"Your… escort is here, Arty," she finally choked out. Artemis unconsciously gave Madeline's hand a squeeze before releasing it and standing. He brushed off his Armani suit and walked back into the manor, leaving Madeline in a stupefied trance, while Angeline quietly followed. He strode through the dining room and kitchen, turning out into the front hall where his father stood leaning on a cane near the door. Artemis Senior opened and closed his mouth soundlessly a few times before Artemis reached him.

"I'll be back soon," Artemis quipped before his father could prolong the agony. Artemis swiftly took his long black jacket from the coat rack and plucked his sunglasses from the pocket. He donned on both the jacket and the semicircle-shaped ebony glasses. Artemis proceeded through the door, where his mother stopped by his father and linked arms forlornly. Butler stood by the door of a black limo, along with another man. It appeared that Butler and the stranger had been sizing each other up while loading the back of the limo with Artemis' things. Artemis was not bringing too many things, just the essential clothes, bottled water, toiletries, his laptop, and several security devices of course. He did not plan on spending too long at the government's facilities. If he was going to work as a scientist he would need to be in the best lab possible, and that was in Fowl Manor.

Butler checked the limo for bombs and then opened the door for Artemis. Artemis nodded as he slipped into the elongated car and Butler soon after closed the door. Through the tinted windows Artemis saw Butler get into the passenger's side of the front and the stranger get into the driver's. Artemis reached into the pocket of his coat, pulled out his phone and flipped it open. Already a voicemail from the Intelligence Division. He sighed and closed the cell phone with a snap.

**Author's Note**: Wow, this is the first time I've written fan fiction in a long time. Thanks for reading the prologue. I know Artemis seems a little OOC but he's really grown up, a lot of it has to do with his college experience (maybe I should start a fan fiction about that¼). But this fan fiction is really challenging as I know nothing about the Irish Government. I went and did a lot of research for this but I'm still not sure if I have it all right. If you know anything that might be useful, it would really be appreciated. And please, if you are offended by something, I am very, very sorry. Explain it to me civilly and I will attempt to fix it if it does not ruin the story line. (hey I only have a prologue, not much of the story line is given away yet, right?) thank you very much! And please: bear with me!


	2. The Donation of the Genii

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

Absolute Power: Thank you so much for your glowing review! It means a lot to me to know that somebody out there likes my little Arty fanfic. Know that I wrote this chapter so soon for you!

Chapter One

The Donation of the Genii

**U.N. Meeting Room 325: London, England**

Artemis drummed his fingers in the one of the many U.N. meeting rooms. The circular table was almost empty as the twelve other scientists lagged behind on tours. There were four from the United States of America (whom Artemis was not looking forward to working with, as Americans, in his experience, had all been… difficult), four from the United Kingdom, two from France and two from Australia. Each member of the Protectorate was represented in the science division, although some very minutely, like Ireland; Artemis was the sole Irish representative. The others began to file in, some still asking questions about the U.N.. Artemis was also the youngest one by far, he realized once again. It was nothing new to him, he was always the youngest but many times, the most intelligent, and even mature. He stopped drumming his fingers and folded his hands in front of him on top of the lid of his laptop. The moods of the other scientists quickly sobered once they glanced at the young occupant of the table.

Most had heard of Artemis Fowl II. Although physically diminutive with a frail frame, the cold charcoal eyes and bloodless lips intimidated even the strongest of men. Many had read his works, most of which had been posted under pseudonyms until he reached the appropriate age (he had now since claimed all of these). And most new of the general air of the Fowls: wealth and power. Artemis was renown for his Robin Hood crusade, in which he swiped stolen art and silently deposited it to the rightful museums. Although he never admitted, and was never charged, with the thefts of and returns of such works of art, it was known.

The other scientists sat down around the table, and the United Nations delegate joined them. The scientists were mostly middle-aged men already balding, but there were four middle-aged women dressed modestly in turtleneck sweaters and button-up blouses among the others. Artemis was reminded of his own wife Madeline, who liked to wear sleeveless turtlenecks and knee length skirts all year round and almost always wore her long hair in a bun which she only took down for bed. Artemis shook his head to clear his mind, rubbed his temple and checked on his computer.

"Greetings gentlemen, and women, please, if you would be so kind as to give me your attention," the delegate called over the rather small amount of chatter. He cleared his throat as all eyes turned to him. "Greetings, you have been called here for a very special reason. You are all considered the most brilliant of your respective countries," he stated. Artemis stole a glance around the table, noting some appreciative nods and straight faces rapt with attention. He then returned his eyes to the delegate. "We are in the dreaded third World War, and it threatens to be a new type of war. Of course we have begun to rely on technology, with our planes, submarines, etcetera, but now the course of the war depends on our scientific strengths!" Artemis noted that the delegate spoke without reading notes. "It has been confirmed that our adversary, the Empire, does indeed have atomic bombs. This could be disastrous, think of it, a nuclear war! Only two atomic bombs have been used in real combat, but it is edging towards reality that atomic bomb raids could become a reality," the delegate paused for a question.

"Sir, with all due respect, how many atomic bombs? They are hard and expensive to create, even harder to transport. It is unlikely that they will become commonplace," one of the French scientists asked.

"Exactly, that is why you are here!" the delegate swiftly pounded his hand on the table, making most of the jittery scientists jump. "The Protectorate cannot afford to have to go into nuclear war; we want you to create a better weapon, something stronger than the atomic bomb, something more cost efficient. That is your duty," he stated and the scientists stared at him incredulously.

"You've got to be kidding," one of the Australian scientists scoffed.

"Something stronger than the atomic bomb? There _is _the Hydrogen Bomb, but that requires incredibly high temperatures to detonate," one of the scientists from the U.K. waved his hands as he spoke. Artemis folded his hands and brought them up to his mouth, and resting his elbows on the table he rested his head as he thought.

"We want you to make something more powerful than any known nuclear weapon," the delegate insisted and another of the scientists from the U.K. shook his head.

"That is impossible! The nuclear bombs deal with the structure of atoms, you can't _go _any farther than that!"

"You're awfully quiet, Ireland. What do you think?" one of the two American women asked as she leaned back in her chair. Artemis did not move.

"I think… that the atomic bomb is an overall inefficient weapon. It destroys massive amounts of matter, yes, but it costs more than it puts out. It was a horrible surprise and was indeed the main reason for Japan's surrender at the end of World War II but now that both sides have atomic weapons, it seems that we will kill each other before either of us gets the chance to negotiate a treaty. It also has horrible side effects, such as the radiation. Perhaps we should work on fine tuning this weapon before we move onto the next," Artemis spoke with a clear voice and he looked around the table, making eye contact with every one of the occupants.

"Do you have any ideas?" the delegate asked and Artemis flipped open the lid of his computer.

"I do. A very vague idea, but it is better than most else I am hearing," he stated as he typed a few commands into his computer. He turned it around so the rest could see. "We have already begun to use nuclear power; now, if we can only refine it we can revolutionize the militaries gun to use molecular charges instead of bullets. These guns won't ever run out of ammunition as the power source is nuclear and will only need to be changed every few hundred years," Artemis was quickly cut off.

"And expose our troops to the radiation and heat of the reactions within the gun? Never," another of the scientists from the U.K. shook his head.

"Let me finish please," Artemis scolded. "There are ways to keep it contained, but if you are not comfortable with my atomic ideas, I have others," he quickly shut his computer in mid-demonstration and pulled it back towards him. Several of the other scientists leaned back, quite distressed by the fact that Artemis had stopped sharing the very interesting wmv of an nuclear reaction. "Which I will not expose here," Artemis discreetly nodded to the cameras recording their every move and word.

"Ah, well then, each of you will be expected at the base at a specific time, our men will come to pick you up; that is all," the delegate finished, and the crowd began to rise and chatter started. Artemis glanced around annoyed before putting a hand flat on the table, commanding the delegate's attention.

"Pardon me, did I hear you say that we will be expected at the base?" he asked and the delegate turned a questioning stare towards the young genius.

"Yes, that _is _where you all will be working, of course," the delegate stated. Artemis shook his head and his vampire-like smirk edged its way onto his pale face.

"Did I not mention that I only work in _my _laboratory? I told the Irish officials it was a condition that must be met," Artemis said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry professor, but you have no say in the matter," the delegate's face hardened.

"Excuse me?" Artemis growled while his spine stiffened.

"You were donated to the Protectorate's Scientific Division by Ireland; it is a requirement of any nation in the Protectorate," the delegate explained and Artemis' flattened hand clenched.

"Donated," Artemis repeated flatly. Artemis Fowl never got mad, that would mean he would lose his composure, and that _never _happens. "I was _donated_?" he asked in a very civil voice for the situation. The rest of the scientists had already left.

"Yes, all of you scientists were chosen by your respective government to be the brightest, most creative and capable of the population. You are all Genii."

"Genii," Artemis repeated, but then went silent.

"You are expected to be at the base by 21:00 a week from now; you will be picked up between now and then by Protectorate men. Please be ready to leave any time between now and then," the delegate then stood up out of his chair and left Artemis to be the sole occupant of the room. Artemis' slender eyebrows were furrowed in thought as he silently slipped his laptop into its carrying case and stalked out of the room just as the guards came to escort him out. He barely paid any attention as he went through the U.N. security only coming out of his daze when they wanted to check his computer. He was through the security soon enough.

Artemis tried to form a reassuring smile for a waiting Butler, but failed horribly. Artemis hated being forced to do anything, especially in working for someone; he worked for himself. He slid into the back of the limo and Butler closed the door behind him. Artemis did not even notice as Butler got in the passenger side of the front and signaled the driver to go on, he was too busy thinking. Could he really work for the Protectorate? Should he? All these thoughts buzzed around like angry hornets in his head as he recalled the delegate's words. "You are all Genii" he had said.

A ghost of a smirk played upon Artemis' bloodless lips as he stared out the tinted windows. The man had thought himself to be very intelligent, using "Genii" instead of "geniuses". What the man had not known was that there is another definition for the word "Genii". The word "Genii" is a plural noun that appears in Roman Mythology meaning "a guardian spirit" or a guardian-like, _servant_ deity

Artemis shook his head as they approached London's International Airport and made for the private jet hangar. Butler was blessedly silent as they neared the hangar. He made his bomb sweep and opened Artemis' door as the driver retrieved Artemis' things from the trunk. Artemis donned on his black coat and sunglasses. He kept his precious laptop with him as Butler and the driver flanked him as they walked to the jet. He knew no one in his family was going to like what he would have to tell them when he returned to Fowl Manor. He knew Butler would hate it even more, because somehow, Artemis knew that he would have to go alone and put his faith in the Protectorate guards.

As he ascended the stair into his own private jet and Butler followed close behind Artemis wondered what Haven was thinking about now. Foaly was most certainly aware of the New World War, as he loved to peruse the Mud Men's news stations. Artemis also wondered about Holly. He paused near the top step. He had not heard from her in two years, maybe her detective business was getting easier, and she no longer needed his counseling on crime, but he could not help but wonder what she and Foaly would think if he joined the Protectorate and became a military scientist, if he began giving the humans newer, bigger, deadlier weapons, if he began giving them Fairy Technology. Artemis shook his head and proceeded into the plane, his pale face the visage of composure. He thought back again to the delegate and made a mental note to find out his name, he had been a strong factor in Artemis' decision but not _the _factor. This was a world war. People were dying and he had been called to help.

But… Artemis Fowl II, a servant?

Author's Note: Whoohoo! Another chapter posted within a day of the last! I think that's the first time I've ever done that. And it's all because of a wonderful review. So, lesson here: if you want more... review nicely and make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside so I can write!

As for the actual chapter, I had to do a lot of research on what our little Arty could possibly think up to surpass the Atomic bomb, not an easy feat. Okay, don't worry, Holly, Mulch and Foaly will appear later on, but not for a while. I might sneak them in for a tiny little scene sometime soon, but nothing major. They will be a major factor towards the end though (but they don't join the war, that wouldn't be fair).

Okay, I have to go write an English Paper now... arg, I would rather write the next chapter, but I've already put it off long enough (but after I finish the paper, if I get another nice review I might write more ;-p ). Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. The Bombing

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Reviewer Replies:

me, obviously( ): Thanks for the review, it made me think. I was already planning to put in this chapter, I just wasn't sure where. So voila: the Fairies are here!

aperfectattitude: Thanks for the review, and this is considered updating soon, right?

Chapter Two

The Bombing

**Lower Elements Police Plaza: Haven**

Holly stalked through the Plaza, bypassing the noisy guards. They were all talk, besides, everyone knew Holly, even though she was not a LEPrecon Officer anymore, who dared to tell her where she could not go? She finally reached Foaly's command center and Holly swung open the door to reveal the eccentric centaur hunched over his multiple keyboards with his tin-foil helmet donned on once again and his wide eyes darting from screen to screen.

"This had better be important Foaly. You know I hate it here," she finally called, making Foaly away of her presence. He jerked upright and spun around his specially made swivel chair.

"I knew it would happen!" he exclaimed as she walked in. "I told you it would happen!" he added.

"What? What's happened? Calm down," Holly demanded as she finally reached him. He spun the chair around, almost knocking Holly to the ground and pointed at the monitors.

"Look!" he ordered, and for once, Holly complied without question. There was something about Foaly's utterly panicked voice that unnerved her. On all screens were Mud Man television broadcast, news reports to be specific. Over a dozen different stations were represented, and they were all saying the same thing: _Atomic bomb dropped on New York City; over 8,000,000 dead._ Holly's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "I told you the Mud Men would end up killing each other!" Foaly cried.

"Hold on - wait - why!" was all Holly could muster.

"Those ignorant Mud Men have started a world wide war and now they've started dropping atomic bombs left and right! This is just the beginning! Now that the Empire has actually used a nuclear weapon, the Protectorate is going to start counterattacking with nuclear weapons on the Empire!" Foaly gasped, "and they're aren't going to stop until they're all dead and the surface is a radioactive wasteland!" he finally finished, although his breathing had yet to return to its normal speed.

"I don't believe this," Holly muttered. "How _stupid _can they be!" she yelled and turned away from the screens and towards Foaly. "We've got to stop them," she concluded.

"Stop them? How are _we _going to stop them? Something tells me the Tribunal won't like you going up there and whacking the world leaders upside the head," Foaly stated as he turned his chair to face her.

"Well, I'll sure you'll take care of that," Holly put her hands on her hips.

"What? Me? No! They'll cut my budget! Besides, they won't listen to me? Since when does anybody listen to me?" Foaly stomped one of his front hooves.

"We could do it in secret," Holly suggested.

"Oh like that will work," Foaly rolled his eyes. "Have fun at Howler's Peak afterwards," he added.

"But we can't just let the Mud Men destroy the surface," Holly argued. "Besides, if you didn't want to do anything about it, then why did you call me?" she retorted and Foaly pouted.

"I want you to go take a look for me," he said quietly while pouting.

"You're kidding."

"No, why does everyone ask me that? All the other LEP Officers have refused, can you believe that?" he slipped off the chair and trotted to the other side of the on the pretense of checking some other monitors.

"The Tribunal won't approve; and anyway, I'm not going up there! The radiation will kill me," she shook her head and Foaly glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Since when did we start listening to them?" he used Holly's phrase from before; that caught her attention. "Besides, we have rad-suits; you won't feel a thing," he pulled an odd green suit out from a foot locker. It was almost like a second skin, except it looked a lot like plastic. "A matching rad-blanket, just in case you get a rip in your suit, which _won't _happen because the suits are indestructible, any way, a matching rad-blanket that protects from radiation, heat, and most weapons. Just pull this string here to release and then wrap it around whatever needs protection," he handed her something that resembled a folded up tarp. "And the upgraded LEP helmets protect you too as long as you keep your visor down and the helmet fully sealed," he threw her a new helmet. She looked at it for a moment before looking back up at Foaly.

"Foaly, I'm not a LEP officer anymore; I can't use this stuff," she closed her eyes and started to set the helmet back down.

"No wait, how would you like to be a LEP officer again?" Foaly hopped up to her.

"I wouldn't! Not under that Commander Sool, I won't!" Holly bristled but Foaly held up a hairy hand.

"But what about a Commander Kelp?" he asked and Holly froze.

"What? Commander Kelp?"

"I asked Sool to send a team to check out the surface, but he wouldn't, and I brought him all the way to the Tribunal. I told them that we need to know how badly the Mud Men are going to mess up the surface with their war. I also told them that the er… radiation might possibly leak down here through uh… water… and… cracks in the earth…" Foaly smirked.

"Is that true?" Holly asked with an arched eyebrow and Foaly's smirk widened.

"Not really," he admitted meekly. "I mean, there is some possibility if the Mud Men managed to soak every square inch of the surface with tons of radiation…" he added quickly and Holly had to smile; same old Foaly. "So, the whole Tribunal chewed Sool out on how he was putting the Fairy People in danger and yada-yada-yada. Then they brought up how the LEP efficiency had gone down thirty percent within the past few years, and how loads of LEP officers had left to work on their own, like you. He was so embarrassed he resigned right away, and they made Trouble commander. I, of course, humbly suggested you for the job, but since you weren't actively participating in the force, they wouldn't hear of it," Foaly explained.

"You are something, Foaly," she muttered.

"Huh?" he cupped a hand to his ear with a broad smile and Holly rolled her large hazel eyes.

"Well, your FULL of something, that's for sure," she said and Foaly pouted again.

"Are you rejoining or do I have to stomp on you until you come to my senses?"

"Alright, I'll rejoin… but don't I need Trouble's permission?" she asked and Foaly, with a sly smile pushed a button and barely a few seconds later the door opened and Trouble walked in.

"Already done!" Foaly exclaimed while clapping his hands together.

"So you've agreed to come back, Holly?" Trouble asked and Holly nodded. "Good, because I've already filed your papers," he smiled and handed her a LEP badge.

"Trouble!" Foaly squealed.

"Foaly," Holly's voice was low and menacing as she turned narrowed eyes to the centaur who smiled and thrust the rad-suit at her.

"Here you go! Courtesy of the handsome and brilliant centaur! Have a nice trip, see you later!" he waved frantically.

"Foaly! What am I supposed to be doing? Just going up there and being exposed to radiation? I don't think so," Holly pointed and accusing finger at the centaur.

"Ask your commander; leave me alone; I didn't do anything!" he yelped and pushed them out the door, closing it behind them. There was a stunned silence.

"_Ahem_," Trouble coughed into his hand, "your mission, Captain Short," he started.

"Yessir!" Holly snapped to attention, the rad-suit folded over one arm and her helmet cradled in the crook of her elbow.

"Your mission, is to find out how many nuclear weapons the Mud Men have in their immediate possession and how many, if at all, they plan on producing, and using," Trouble informed. "You should start in the remains of New York City; Foaly has intercepted some telephone calls informing us that whichever of the alliances that the city is in will have loads of men cleaning it up and even a science and intelligence division there to investigate. Go see if you can pick any useful information from them. After they leave, follow them to their headquarters and await instructions," Trouble finished and Holly gave a smart salute.

"I'm on it," she said and then almost cringed at having said a very clichéd phrase. "And I won't, say that again," she added and ran to tunnel, pausing only at the annoyed gate attendant. "This is LEP business, I need you to cancel all shuttles to the surface except the one I'm about to use, and get everybody _on _the surface, back _down _here, got that?" Holly ordered.

"What? I can't do that to all these fairies, let me get a hold of my-" he did not get to finish his protest as Holly brushed past him and commandeered a shuttle.

**New York City: USA**

Holly turned off her wings and stared around the ruins of the once towering human city. Behind her sealed helmet she came to her senses and closed her open mouth. The buildings were in ruins and disfigured, dead humans were everywhere in the rubble. Holly was never more grateful than at that moment for the filters in her helmet. Even the stale air from within the helmet had to be better than that outside for once. She jerked out of her reverie as she heard movement. She quickly shielded and hopped behind a pile of debris.

Six or seven humans clad in what looked like space suits appeared, picking their way through the rubble of the city. Holly heard them talking through microphones built into their helmets. At least they were smart enough to wear protective gear, even though it probably was not enough. Holly looked down at her own suit and decided to actually thank Foaly for creating such ingenious and life saving technology, she barely felt any evidence of the radiation that surrounded her.

The humans continued picking their way through, all except one. Holly peeked out from behind the rubble, still shielded, but then a thought occurred to her that froze her to the spot: what if they had heat vision goggles on underneath those helmets? Then they would see right through her shield. Holly's mind race as she prepared for quick thinking; wait, she thought and looked around. There were still flames from the aftermath of the bomb, many of which several human teams were attempting to quell. The flames would through off any heat goggles. Holly let herself breathe again and relaxed a bit, but the one human remained in place. Holly had decided he was preoccupied with something else and was ready to move, when the human turned right towards her and stared. _D'arvit…_

"Why hello there," a muffled and scratchy voice came quietly over the suit's speakers. Holly moved, the human had seen her, there was no use pretending it had not. She got out her neutrino and made sure it was set for stun: it would have to be memory-wiped. "Going to shoot me? And here I thought we were friends, tsk, tsk. I was beginning to think you'd forgotten me. You haven't called in a while," the human chided. Holly's ears perked. I know that tone, she thought.

"Artemis?"

"Well, you _do _remember. I thought I'd made a rather large impression upon you; rather hard to forget," he laughed a sarcastic laugh and Holly could just picture the vampire smile.

"What in hell are you doing here?" Holly beckoned for him to move closer to the rubble and out of the semi-open space that was once a street.

"My job," he replied simply. Holly was about to ask, when the group of humans returned. Holly hopped back behind the rubble, and was very glad that she had remained shielded.

"Doctor Fowl," one called, "it was definitely an atom bomb," the man reported and Artemis turned slowly towards him.

"Thank you for informing me of what I already knew," Artemis' sincere sounding yet cutting remark bit through the air. "Can you tell me what type? No? I didn't think so. It was an implosion-type. How do I know? You wonder. I know because on recordings of the drop the sheer size was too large for a uranium gun-triggered, and the amount of destruction correlates with that of an plutonium implosion-type. Now, are you going to tell me any other incredibly obvious facts?" a stunned silence greeted him. "No? Good," Artemis went to walk away when another of the humans called him back.

"Doctor; the radiation levels? You're the only one with a rad-reading device," the voice was obviously that of a mature female, even over the static of the speakers. A small 'ah' was all that was issued from Artemis' suit as he reached in a small pack that hung from his shoulder. He brought out a small device that looked oddly like one of those electrical planners with two antenna attached to the top and a wire connecting the two. He held it up at arms length and pressed a few buttons with his thumb, then waited a few minutes.

"Highly elevated, recording the precise levels on the automatic memory now. We'll look at them at the base," Artemis pocketed the thing and looked at the others. "What do you say we get back on our plane and actually _get_ to where we're supposed to go?" he asked and most others silently agreed and began their way back out of the decimated city and towards their jet. Artemis glanced at the charred ground momentarily then returned his obvious stare towards Holly. "I didn't get a chance to ask what _you _were doing here."

"Something tells me you didn't come here for a field trip. You said you were working. I smell one of your schemes, Fowl; what are you really up to?" Holly took a step forwards but stopped in her next stride as Artemis actually chuckled.

"Am I that bad?" he asked. "I was investigating the damage, as I'm sure you were doing as well, but I really must get going and get showered with rad-gel," he sighed and took a step away as things began to click in Holly's mind.

"Wait a minute there Fowl! Rad-gel? That's-"

"Fairy technology? Yes, and very useful I might add," he admitted. "Tell Foaly thank you for me," he added and took another step.

"Who were those other people Artemis?" Holly called. "Scientists?" Artemis froze this time and returned his gaze towards her. Holly nodded in comprehension. "You're in the Science Division of the Military now, aren't you?" Holly blurted out.

Back in Haven Foaly munched on a carrot quite excitedly watching the events through Holly's cameras.

"Yes, is there anything wrong with that?" Artemis' voice was stiff and Holly narrowed her eyes, realizing she had struck upon a chink in his armor.

"Artemis, do you realize what you're doing? What you're going to do, being involved in that division, in this time?" Holly took a few more steps forwards, while Artemis remained still.

"Yes, and I am quite prepared to do all I can," he replied.

"For what Artemis?"

"I am afraid that is top secret information, Captain Short," he said curtly and Holly recoiled, as if she were burnt.

"And here I thought we were friends…" Holly repeated his own words with a laugh, but Artemis remained unmoved.

"This has nothing to do with being friends Holly. I will do what I can, to help the Science Division of the Protectorate get ahead, and win this war," Artemis stated firmly. I do not know exactly what you are doing here Holly, but I do not have time to deal with Haven right now. I have my own problems," he said quietly, turned and left. Holly scampered out to the edge of the decrepit street and her eyes widened. In what had once been an open square was a sleek new jet with rotating engines. There were a lot more people in suits around the craft, including all the ones Holly had seen before, with Artemis. Holly's ear pricked as a whining became audible in her ear, and then this:

"HOLLY, UP!" Foaly's frantic voice came over the communicator and immediately she looked up, and back. Coming from the opposite direction that Artemis' plane was in, were more jets, fighter jets surrounding a carrier jet.

"D'arvit!" this time she voiced her opinion as she heard the humans behind her yell as they too saw the approaching planes.

"Those aren't ours!"

"Oh my god, another bomb!"

"Into the jet! Take off! Take off!"

Artemis whirled around to see the jets with his own eyes.

"The jet will never get off the ground in time!" one of the panicked voices cried. A suited man with a commanding voice grabbed hold of two of the scientists, including Artemis.

"We have a truck, we have to get you out of here," he ordered and the feeble geniuses had nothing to resist with as the man bodily lifted them into the back of an army truck.

"You can't outrun jets in a _truck,_" Artemis scoffed, was amazed at the situation and, realizing his life was in danger, still could not seem to comprehend the sheer lack of common sense some people had. The man hefted a few more of the protesting scientists into the back of the truck before the driver decided he could not watch the approaching planes anymore and took off as fast as possible. Artemis was send head-long into the rear panel of the truck's bed. Dizzy stars circled his head while a slight whistling sound reached his ear and he felt a breeze against his forehead.

Holly took off at full tilt following the truck. She heard the screeching of bombs and knew the jets had begun their bombardment. The jets loomed closer and the explosions began. She had just about reached the truck when the jets screamed over head, dropping small bombs all the way. The truck ran into the explosion of one and was thrown backwards and sideways. The few scientists were scattered in all directions, but Holly went for Artemis, the only one with a pack. She landed next to where he had been thrown, against a wall of a skyscraper, he groaned as she rolled him over.

"Holly?" his voice was barely audible over the commotion overhead and around.

"Don't worry Artemis, just stand still," Holly commanded as she took out the rad-blanket and pulled the string. It immediately unfolded and she threw it over the both of them as Artemis pointed behind her. "What?" she asked and glanced over her shoulder; her eyes widened as an enormous spherical capsule dropped from the carrier jet.

"That's too big not to be an implosion-bomb," he observed feebly. Holly snapped back into action, yanked back his arm, huddled over him and pulled the blanket tight around them. The bomb hit and there was silence for a moment. Then a huge shock wave swept over them. Blocks from the buildings, cars, Artemis' jet and the like all went flying past them and the gargantuan building they crouched behind. The heat was intense, but Holly knew that the blanket was canceling most of it, as many things burst into flame around them. Then there was a pause, yet then a second wave swept back over them, this time in the opposite direction, back towards where the bomb had struck. Already beaten buildings began to bend and crumble. When will it end, was the last thing Holly remembered thinking before blacking out underneath the blanket.

**Author's Note**: Mwahaha, another chapter within 24 hours of the last! I'm on a roll! This is also significantly longer than the others and more my usual length; I'm sorry about how short I've been making the chapters, I just want to update fast ; .

On a research note, I've done several projects on Atomic Bombs, but I still had to go look back in my notes for some things. I hope you guys don't mind cliffies. Tehe, I'll try and update soon.


	4. Tragic Promotion

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

PinkExplosion: Thanks! Atomic Bombs sure can be interesting, can't they?

Me, obviously: HAHA! You didn't like the scientists, I take it?

aperfectattitude: Thanks again, I hope you like intense. It will happen often enough.

Sgarecool321: Heh, gave me a heart attack there. ;

venusgal100: A somewhat answer to your question is enclosed in this chapter (although I like the lack of cookies cause better :-p ). Please don't kill me anybody, I love everyone, really!

Chapter Three

Tragic Promotion

**New York City: USA**

Sensation. Sensation was the first thing Holly Short was aware of. Itchy ears from being in a helmet too long, and a very sore back from being hunched over. Holly slowly opened her eyes to reveal she was face to face with the ground. She slowly straightened, wincing at the muscles pulling in her back, and attempting to recall exactly what she had been doing. Suddenly the recent events flooded back into her mind as she realized she was still clutching the rad-blanket. She glanced around wildly and her panicked gaze came to rest on the still figure beside her partially underneath the blanket.

"Artemis, Artemis, wake up you," she gave him a small shake, "Are you okay?" she asked absently and peaked her helmeted head out from underneath the blanket. Artemis groaned and attempted to maneuver into a sitting position but immediately stopped with a startled hiss.

"Yes," he said hesitantly looking over his shoulder, "But there is a rather large piece of glass impaled in my leg," he gingerly straightened and Holly turned back towards him. Deeming that the worst was over, Holly swept the blanket over her shoulders and moved towards Artemis' bloody leg.

"Hold still," she ordered, "this is going to hurt," she added; although she could not see Artemis' face through the dusty visor of his helmet, she knew from the stiffening of his body that he was dreading it. She made it as quick as possible. She grabbed hold of the seven inch skewer of glass and instantaneously pulled it out. She felt Artemis shake as he withheld a jump and a scream through clenched teeth. Holly ripped the leg of Artemis' suit wider until she could place her hands around the wound in his thigh. "Heal," she breathed and blue sparks of magic danced from her fingers and into the ragged wound. As the flesh began to come together she had to arch an eyebrow at the evidence of some muscle in his legs. She looked up at him oddly.

"What?" he quipped, somewhat uncomfortably.

"I'm trying to figure out how _you _got muscle," she laughed and Artemis jerked his leg out from her grasp, thankfully she was practically done anyway.

"I did some jockeying alright?" he retorted, "I had to fulfill a physical education requirement to graduate and it was the best option," he explained rather quietly and Holly could not help but smirk beneath her own helmet at his obvious discomfort at admitting having done _some _physical work. There was an awkward silence in which neither of the two said anything. Artemis finally broke it, looking around and up. "Is it over?"

"I think so," Holly replied, joining him in glancing about. There was little evidence that a city had once stood in this desolate wasteland.

"Yes, I suppose that is to be expected. The enemy jets probably fled as soon as the carrier dropped its bomb," Artemis added matter-of-factly.

"I can't believe that they A-bombed this place twice in two days," Holly shook her head and Artemis looked to the charred ground.

"They knew we were coming," he stated quietly and Holly stared back at him.

"What?"

"The Protectorate's entire Science Division was en route to their base in Utah. The enemy must have known we would stop off to look once we heard about the bombing," a cold chuckle echoed from his helmet. "We were the last ones here. Everyone else had camped or landed or staked out or whatever on the outskirts of the destruction. We were the only ones _stupid enough _to land in the _city,_" Artemis laughed again. "Some geniuses we are," he added cruelly. Holly stared at him.

"Did you hit your head?" she asked after a moment. Artemis jerked upright and stared back at her. "Come on, we'd better get out of this place before somebody realizes they missed one of their targets," she said and stood up, brushing dust, ash and debris from her suit.

"Right," Artemis slowly got up, testing his leg and straightening his clunky, battered suit. He stopped in middle of brushing himself off. "Holly?" he asked and the fairy, who had been scouting the area, returning to him. "How did we survive?" his confused voice sounded quite odd. Holly smiled and threw the rad-blanket at him. He caught it rather bunglingly.

"One of Foaly's inventions; indestructible, heat resistant and radiation proof," she explained as Artemis studied it. He held it up at arms length and it proved to only be large enough for about two fairies, no humans, not even a small adult like Artemis.

"Hm, unfortunately for my leg, not quite as perfect an invention as need be," he observed.

"What are you talking about! Of course it's perfect! You're just too big!" Foaly screamed over Holly's communicator. Judging by the fact that Holly had jumped nearly a foot into the air and was covering her ears, Artemis came to an educated guess.

"Hello Foaly," he called. Holly grumbled as she turned off the sound of her helmet.

"We can talk _after _we get out of this radioactive city, how about that?"

"Ah, that sounds like a very good idea, Captain," Artemis agreed. He rolled up the blanket and stuffed it under his arm as Holly and he began to pick through the debris. They had not gone far when Holly heard voices, and the sound of approaching footsteps. Holly quickly shielded and ducked out of sight, leaving a very startled and confused Artemis.

"You there, halt!" one of the approaching men ordered as he pointed to Artemis with a Beretta 92f 9mm pistol. After the initial _what the hell, _response running through his mind, Artemis immediately threw his hands up in the air in comprehension. He had just survived an atomic bomb dropping and really did _not _feel like being shot by one of his own subordinates due to being mistook for an enemy. "State your name and business here," the man ordered. His voice was curt but had still had a hint of an American drawl to it. However, Artemis decided to let the man's utter lack of manners get by this time, considering he was nearing point blank rank and still had his pistol raised.

"Doctor Artemis Fowl of the Protectorate'sFirst Science Board Division;" he replied and shifted onto his uninjured leg anxiously, "And as for my business? I am trying to escape radiation-rich area so that I may live longer," Artemis growled as he saw the realization dawning upon the soldier in his body language. The suited soldier immediately holstered his gun and hurried forwards.

"Hurry then, we've got to get you to medical help right away," the soldier took Artemis' arm and hung it over his shoulder, forcing Artemis to put most of his weight on the suited soldier. Artemis had first begun to protest, but then thought better of it. He favored the leg that had been injured and looked down at the ground as they walked through the wasteland. Now that he actually stopped to think, it was probably a good thing his leg had been injured. It made his survival a little less suspicious, and the fact that he had pulled away before Holly had finished completely healing him helped. The wound was no longer bleeding and was well on its way to closing thanks to Holly, but it was obvious that it had existed and still looked rather serious. Artemis looked over his shoulder to see a faint haze that must have been Holly by the remaining structure of an overturned car. Artemis gave her a discreet, dismissive wave and returned to concentrating on walking, and acting incredibly injured.

Holly hid as she watched the suited soldier practically heave Artemis over his shoulders and carry him to safety. She turned around and took in the desolated surroundings. She decided she had better do the same and reach a safe distance where she could contact Haven in safe seclusion, and maybe even make a trip to Tara to perform the ritual. She had felt her magic run low as she had healed Artemis' leg. She switched on her wings and kicked off the ground, rising to a safe altitude before zooming off.

Artemis groaned as the soldier finally set him down in one of the hundreds of ambulances lining the edge of the city. This was actually why the scientists had landed in the city; they had wanted to avoid the massive amounts of injured, dieing and dead. Artemis closed his eyes to shut out the images of the blackened faces and marred bodies. He said a silent thanks as the emergency medical technicians closed the doors of the ambulance. The ambulance began to sway as it moved slowly over the rugged terrain and the two EMT's began helping Artemis out of the tattered remains of his radiation protection suit. One unhinged his helmet and as he pulled it off Artemis' strange half circle sun glasses fell into his lap. The EMT did not ask and set them with the helmet aside then helped the other unfasten the back of his suit. They skillfully slid him out of his suit without much fuss and Artemis was saddened to see that his Armani suit had suffered considerable damage as well.

One checked his vital signs and asked him various questions as the other began to dab at his forehead. Artemis was surprised to see blood wipe off on the antiseptic pad there too. Then the same EMT began to treat his leg.

"When did this happen?" the EMT asked.

"During the explosion," Artemis answered through labored breath, better make it believable, he thought. "A flying piece of glass hit my leg," he added and the EMT looked up from his leg.

"How did you survive the heat wave?" he asked curiously as he proceeded to swipe the wound mercilessly. Artemis flinched.

"A new invention of mine: a radiation, and fire-proof blanket. I thought it would be a good idea, in case we came across any incredibly high radiation levels," Artemis waved the blanket he held in one of his hands. Both EMT's looked at it interestedly.

"That's amazing," one remarked and returned to drawing blood. Artemis stared at the

"Yes, I… I know."

**White Plains Hospital Center, New York: USA**

A considerable distance from the remains of New York City, Artemis began to fend off nurses and doctors. He had already submitted to several x-rays, cat-scans, and numerous other examinations and had been treated for all injuries they had come across, down to the last chipped nail. Artemis repositioned himself in the squeaking hospital bed and grimaced at the scratchy hospital gown he had been forced to wear. He glanced out the window and narrowed his eyes at a shimmer in the air.

He reached over to the sparse nightstand and grabbed his sunglasses. He donned them on and sighed. His sunglasses were much like the ones he had created for Butler those many years ago, the ones that saw right through Fairy shields, but these also were equipped with night vision and thermal imagery, and he saw no Fairy through them. He leaned back on the bed just as the door to his private hospital room opened. An aging doctor with thick glasses and a clipboard came, in slightly agitated. Following him was a middle aged man with sparse hair and a dark suit, accompanied by several men with security badges with the letters FBI on them. Artemis rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses.

"The nurses told me you were awake," said the doctor. He walked up to the side of the bed and stuck his hand out with a meek smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said and shook Artemis' reluctant hand, "I'm Doctor Burns, I was the doctor on duty until the… well, the _incident_, now everyone's on duty, but I've been assigned strictly to take care of you. I assure you, you're in good hands," Doctor Burns tried to explain. Artemis arched an eyebrow, as the man's hands quivered.

"Strictly to me? You should be out there with the rest of the doctors taking care of the patients that _really _need you," Artemis scolded and the poor doctor took a surprised step back. The man in the dark suit took a step forwards.

"Please, Doctor Fowl, we're only trying to do what's best for you. You were exposed to high doses of radiation and heat; you need to rest, and recover," the man said with an eloquent voice. "You _are _the only one left, after all," he added. Artemis swallowed.

"You're sure?" Artemis whispered and the man nodded.

"I'm afraid that the area your Science Division was exploring happened to be the very target. No one else survived," the man replied and Artemis' eyebrows furrowed together. He knew who this man was already. The man read Artemis' contorted expression and raised both his hands and his eyebrows. "Please, please sir, you must try to remain calm, we don't want you under anymore stress for the time being; you're very important to us," he soothed. The doctor stepped back up.

"Are your eyes sensitive Doctor Fowl?" Doctor Burns pointed to his sunglasses. Artemis unconsciously reached to make sure they were secure on his face.

"Yes, I'm rather nearsighted and my eyes were ill-adapted to light even before this," Artemis stated and shrugged "A side effect of my studies." The Doctor nodded and scribbled something on his clipboard. Artemis stored this little half-lie in his memory for future use. He was not really nearsighted, but he was used to the dark confines of a laboratory and computer room.

"Ahem," the man in the dark suit brought the attention back to himself, "Allow me to introduce myself," he said and Artemis waved a hand.

"No need. You are Marcus Daily, the President of the United States of America. I supposed I should be honored you have come to visit me," Artemis rose his chin a few centimeters and the American President's smile barely twitched.

"Yes, I," President Daily glanced at his feet, "I wanted to extended my sincerest apologies for letting this incident happen," he pursed his lips and folded his hands. Artemis studied the man. He had been a typical President, from what Artemis knew. The man's father had been a senator and Daily's policies were that of the valiant world crusader.

President Daily, unwittingly, had ignited the fire that drove the Empire. His aggressive speeches and foreign policies had invaded the militaristic rights of those other countries, and they responded with armed resistance upon American bases in the Pacific. Soon, the United States of America's economy was in shambles, and the members of the Empire grew. The United Nations was torn with indecision and in effect, crumbled. Many countries chose to remain neutral, while others rushed their fellow super-power's aide. The United Kingdom had been the first to pledge their support.

"Apologies do not bring people back to life. We just lost ninety two percent of the Protectorate's leading brainpower," Artemis stated coldly.

"I know, and that is why you… why you are so important, Master Fowl," President Daily's voice became more animated.

"_Master_ Fowl?" Artemis repeated. Of course, everyone at Fowl Manor called him that because he was mostly everyone's employer and held a great amount of power, but elsewhere he went by Doctor, or Professor even (he _had_ taught a class in computer programming once).

"Yes, that is one of the new revisions to the Science Division that the Protectorate has created. You have been promoted to Master of the Science Division," President Daily explained.

"Master of the Science Division? There's no one _left _in the Science Division!" Artemis exclaimed and the President bobbed his head yes and no.

"Well, you're the only one left of the First Science Division, we still have other scientists," President Daily admitted.

"Then why not make another First Division? Just promote other scientists to my level?" Artemis asked.

"Because there's no one else known to be at your level, Master Fowl, that's just it," President Daily's voice rose. "Our governments donated the brightest minds in our respective countries and now they're all dead except _you_," the President's voice cracked and Artemis blinked.

"You knew one of us?" Artemis asked quietly.

"I… my wife was one of the American scientists," President Daily whispered and Artemis' eyebrows furrowed, imagining himself in the same place as the man standing next to him. "Anyway," President Daily burst out, "We have no one else for you to work with; we can only give you people we think you can make use of," he moved over to the window. "You have complete reign over the Protectorate's Science Division now; you are of an equal rank to most world leaders, for you have the power to _stop this war_," the President turned on him. "Make a super-weapon, Master Fowl, make something that will make the Empire shake in its boots. You can end this war, I know it, I have faith in you!"

**Author's Note**: Oh dearie, I think I'm going cross-eyed. . I have never had to do as much research for anything as I have had to do with this fanfiction. There are also a lot of little things that I throw in there. All I can say, is pay attention to some of the details of the early chapters, they'll come back! ;-)


	5. Complications and Calls

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

me, obviously: Wow, I can't believe I didn't see that either. Why didn't anybody else tell me that I made a typo in Artemis' name in the TITLE! Thank you very much for pointing that out, it should be fixed sometime soon. And as for Foaly using Artemis... I'm not so sure about that... desperate times...

aperfectattitude: Thank you so much for your constant and wonderful reviews! I'll let you in on a little secret... it's the reviews that make me update so quickly! And the fact that it's the weekend and I have work that can be put off.

Chapter Four

Complications and Calls

**Fowl Manor: Ireland**

The Fowl family sat in what was Artemis the Second's study and news room. Artemis Fowl Senior sat in a large arm chair, Angeline and Madeline huddled together on a daybed, and Butler stood slightly behind them. Every gaze in the room bore intensely upon the wide screen television set into the opposite wall. The reporter had to shout over the noise of his surrounding area and other reporters. It was the former United Nations building in London, but now it belonged to the Protectorate, and now, the Protectorate was undergoing a shift in power.

A representative of the Protectorate at the podium released the news that New York City had been bombed once again, this time while rescue crews and investigative teams scoured the area. He also reported that the bombing had murdered many in the Science Division. Artemis Fowl Senior gripped the arms of the chair and Madeline threw her arms around her mother-in-law and hid her sobbing face in the fabric of Angeline's blouse. The Protectorate had always been governed by the council consisting of the leaders of each of the countries. Now, however, their representative reported that the council would no longer be the source of ultimate control.

"And without further ado, I relieve the podium of the Protectorate from the Protectorate's Council to the Master of Science."

**Protectorate Building: London, England**

The members of the press had been buzzing about the room, but now all quieted and all cameras focused on the now vacated podium. Behind the curtain to the small curtain, Artemis took deep breaths and held a hand over his stomach. His breathing slowly steadied and he reopened his eyes and set his face with a steely glare, the visage of composure once again, and he stepped out into the bright light of the cameras and screens.

Back at Fowl Manor, Angeline screamed and Artemis Fowl Senior shouted "He's alive! He's alive" over and over again, while Madeline failed to stop crying, this time, tears of joy.

Artemis willed himself to keep up his cruel glare intact in the light of a hundred video recorders and cameras flashing before him, and he was once again _very _glad he wore his sunglasses. He stepped up to the podium; he did not rest his hands on it, he did not bring any papers, but he did glare at the crowd with his pale lips set into a thin line. After the initial flurry of picture flashes died down to a few a second, Artemis began to speak.

"Earlier on in the week, a Japanese carrier jet dropped an atomic bomb on the American city of New York; around 8,000,000 are estimated dead and several thousands more are severely wounded. This was an attack on defenseless civilians; there were no major military outposts hit.

"Ambulances from all over New York State congregated outside the city limits to provide aide to the victims brought out by neighboring firemen, policemen, and soldiers. Upon hearing of the disaster, the First Science Division detoured to attempt to help in anyway we could. We landed within the city limits and began outside to search for any possible survivors within the high radiation zone. We found none. However, as we prepared to leave, we were granted a nasty surprise.

"Soldiers that were accompanying us began to shout and point behind us as we returned to the jet. We turned around to find a whole squadron of Japanese fighter jets looming on the horizon. Within minutes we were under heavy fire, and helplessly, we watched as a second Atomic Bomb dropped on the already decimated New York City," Artemis shifted a bit off his leg, the wrapping underneath his trim pants wrinkling. A twitch of a grimace quirked his face.

"I am Artemis Fowl the Second, the Irish contribution to the Protectorate's Science Division; of the thirteen scientists that ventured into the debris of New York City, I am the only one that remains," his ebony eyes roved the crowd of silent reporters and blinking cameras. He had come up to this podium knowing exactly what he wanted to say, but somehow, he found he could not form the words on his tongue. This was nothing like him. He had been an active participant of his high school's "mock-trial" team, and had done several public speeches. Instead, he now felt nauseous, and faint. He also felt his throat dry and tighten.

"I have been promoted to Master of the Science Division; this means, that I am now the acting head of the Protectorate. Before the demise of my comrades, we had a plan. A plan that threatened to overthrow the very foundations that the Empire is built upon: those of the atom," Artemis growled and raised a single finger as if scolding a small child.

"Empire, I know you are watching this. I know you are watching me, but know, the glass goes two ways: I see you too. And I have created a weapon greater than your capacity to believe! I have created a weapon that will wipe your baleful existence from this planet and absorb your very means of living into _my Protectorate_," Artemis slammed his open palm onto the podium, making it shake.

"Know, Empire, that I _will use it_. Do not force me. I want no more people to die unnecessarily. I want you to stop this nationalistic nonsense and surrender; I do not want to eradicate you from this world, but I _will_. You have seven days to surrender," Artemis' cruel glareswept over the roomas he eased back from the podium. The room was a stunned silence as he backed farther away and slunk behind the curtain, gasping for breath. Several Protectorate spokesmen congratulated him on a moving speech. Yet even as he struggled for breath he saw the fear in their eyes, he had been terrifying; he had even terrified himself. He cupped a hand over his mouth as he felt nausea overwhelming him and his knees buckled beneath him. The startled spokesmen, frightened by his sudden illness ran for a doctor, quite secretly. Artemis' vision swam as Protectorate guards and officials rushed over to him while others occupied the press. If Artemis was indeed ill, no one could know.

**Government Hospital: London, England**

Artemis awoke in an unfamiliar, uncomfortable bed. He tried to move but quickly stopped when he realized the number of medical instruments there were attached to him. He let out an exasperated sigh and let his head fall back on the pillow. He had fainted. He had actually _fainted_. He had never gotten so nervous he fainted before, it was so unlike him. He angrily pounded one of his fists on the bed in frustration. How could he do that with so much riding on him? He had to be strong. He was the mind behind the entire Protectorate, he could not fail now. He jumped as one of the monitors began to make a shrill beeping sound. Artemis covered his ears agitatedly, despite the tugging needles and wires. Then a familiar face opened the door and, after poking his head around the door, walked in.

"Doctor Burns?" Artemis tried to say, but his throat was so dry it barely came out a whisper.

"Yes, Master Fowl, I'm so sorry, I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you as a patient so soon again," Dr. Burns came up to the side of the bed with his clipboard in hand and silenced the monitor. "Please try and steady your breathing, your heartbeat is a little elevated," Dr. Burns jotted down several notes, glancing at the monitors then back to his clipboard.

"How are… how are you here? Am I back in New York?" Artemis swallowed.

"Is your throat sore? Dry? Here, I'll order some IV fluids," Dr. Burns made a call with the hospital phone, then turned back to Artemis. "I'm sorry about that, no, you're still in London. I just work for the Protectorate now, I'm your personal physician," he explained. He observed Artemis for a minute. "Tell me, how long have you been experiencing fainting spells? Dizziness, fatigue, nausea, dehydration?" Dr. Burns was suddenly all business. Artemis squinted at the light above his head and Dr. Burns followed his stare. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, and flipped off the light. "Now, back to my question," he leaned on the railing of the beds.

"I… I was just nervous," Artemis remarked incredulously and Dr. Burns shook his head. He leaned back and flipped through his papers.

"Artemis Fowl II, graduate summa cum laude of Saint Bartleby's School for Young Men, head of the Mock Trial team, Model Congress Team, Quiz Team, and Programming Club," Dr. Burns looked back at Artemis. "I don't think you were nervous," he stated quietly. "It happens to the best of us, always the most intelligent, always seeing what happens to others before anyone else, but last to see what happens to them," Dr. Burns was shaking his head and Artemis swallowed hard again.

"Fatigue. Nausea. Weakness. Fainting. So I'm stressed. I think anyone in my position would be," Artemis growled and Dr. Burns nodded.

"True, true, but would anyone develop bruises from a mere touch?" Dr. Burns pointed to Artemis' hand. Artemis lifted his hand, the one he had hit upon the bed, to find it already discolored. "And also, would any normally healthy young man… suddenly develop anemia?" Dr Burns held up a chart of blood tests showing a deficiency in the red blood cells. "Need I say more?"

"Radiation sickness. I have radiation sickness," Artemis gasped and the little doctor sullenly nodded.

"I just got these blood tests back from your first visit, your hemoglobin levels are undoubtedly lower now," Dr. Burns explained.

"No, I - I can't have radiation sickness. I was wearing the rad-suit, and under the blanket, I was totally covered," Artemis stuttered and Dr. Burns painfully shook his head again.

"I sent for your suit, so I could inspect it for possible defects," he turned around and rummaged through a cabinet before returning with a bag. "Aside from the tear in the leg, which did expose you to radiation, but not enough to act so quickly, I found something else," Dr. Burns pulled Artemis' helmet out of the bag. "A crack in your view plate," he turned it to the side and sure enough a crack nearly five inches long spanned the edge from mid-forehead to the ear and created an opening to the seam about a half an inch wide; it was near enough to the seam to be concealed from the front. Artemis dully fingered the hole.

"Amazing," he muttered dazedly. "How," he had to clear his throat, "How quickly am I progressing?"

"Well, you didn't show any immediate symptoms other than the anemia, your symptoms have finally appeared and it's been about… five days."

"Five days? I thought it was four."

"You were unconscious for half a day," Dr. Burns explained. "So, I would say, you have a week or so," he said reluctantly. If Artemis were prone to profanity he would have cursed as he reached up and rubbed his forehead.

"A week," Artemis repeated.

"Or so," Dr. Burns added with a feeble smile. Artemis glared at him.

"Get my clothes," Artemis ordered and began to sit up.

"No, no, you mustn't move!" Dr. Burns squealed but Artemis found the strength to push him away.

"You work for the Protectorate now, correct? Then as Master of the Science Division, I order you to do as I say!" Artemis snarled as he dangled his bare feet off the bed. "Now get my things!" he ordered and the poor doctor ran out of the room. Artemis then went to disconnecting himself to all of the monitors, making sure to turn them all off first, so he would not be surrounded by screeching alarms. He rubbed his eyes and slowly slid off the bed to his feet. He wobbled a bit at first but soon became steady.

He walked to the bathroom and turned on the dreaded light. He squinted and leaned onto the sink, blinking furiously at the mirror. He almost failed to recognize himself when his vision cleared. His skin was stretched tightly across his face and dark circles lined his eyes as if he had been beaten. His bloodless lips thinned into an agitated line as he reached back and turned off the light once again. After the darkness soothed over him, he turned on the water and bent down to wash his face. He had little trouble washing his face, combing his hair, and making himself look presentable (well, as presentable as one could be in a hospital gown). He then walked cautiously to the stiff chair and sat down. There was a hint of dizziness tugging at the back of his skull, but he otherwise felt find, he told himself. Dr. Burns finally came back with yet another bag and a worried expression. He reluctantly handed Artemis the bag and watched as Artemis disappeared into the bathroom.

Artemis smiled as he pulled a fresh Armani suit on and donned on his sunglasses. After straightening a few stray hairs, he opened the door to the bathroom stepped out.

"Master Fowl, you really shouldn't do anything stressful," Dr. Burns wrung out his hands. Artemis looked the doctor up and down, then pushed a few more stray hairs from his forehead.

"Doctor, everyone dies eventually, it's all just a matter of when, and if I have to die in a week, then by God this war is going to be over by then," Artemis affirmed and strode past the small doctor. He ignored the gawking stares as he walked with long strides through the hospital corridors, and he took out a very special communicator: it was the one Holly had given to him. After exiting the hospital and maneuvering into a nearby, conveniently deserted alleyway, he flipped open the communicator and called Holly. Her confused face appeared on the screen.

"Holly," his voice was oozing authority, "I need to talk to Foaly," he ordered. Holly's eyebrows furrowed, her huge eyes narrowed and her bottom jaw jutted out.

"What for?" she asked and arched an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Holly, please, I need this _fast_," Artemis' voice changed dramatically, going from dictatorial to almost pleading. Holly's eyebrows rose but an expression recognizable as concealed worry appeared on her face.

"Alright, I'm going to patch you through," she conceded and her hand appeared on screen, typing something in.

"Thank you," Artemis sighed and Holly looked back at him.

"Artemis?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" she asked and a smile appeared on his face.

"No, but I will be soon enough," he said cryptically. Before Holly could say anything else, her image disappeared and was replaced with that of Foaly.

"Hello Artemis, how's it going?" he asked cheerfully.

"Not too well," Artemis replied truthfully.

"Ah, that's no good. I was watching you little speech earlier, _that_ was very good, I must say, very convincing. Hey, what's this new ultimate weapon thing you have anyway? It sounds interesting," Foaly talked quite animatedly. Artemis smiled eerily and paused. Foaly stopped fidgeting and pursed his lips. "I don't like the look of that," Foaly stated and Artemis chuckled.

"Foaly, how long have we known each other?" Artemis asked.

"Um, a little over ten years?" Foaly replied cautiously.

"And we've always respected each other for our respective genius, right?" Artemis nudged and Foaly's eyes narrowed.

"Yea…" Foaly hesitantly muttered.

"And now I need you to do me a favor," Artemis' ebony eyes seemed to bore a hole through the screen as he stared unblinkingly at the centaur.

"What is it?" Foaly asked, morbidly curious and immediately regretted asking. Artemis' vampire smile was back.

**Author's Note**: gasp I still can't believe I'm doing this. Now didn't I tell you to pay attention to small details? (of course I think I told you the chapter AFTER the crack was inflicted... heh heh) Can anybody guess what favor Artemis is going to ask? It could be very predictable, I think, but you never know. ;-p


	6. Rinse and Repeat

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

aperfectattitude: Thank you very much and very good guess by the way. ;-)

Chapter Five

Rinse and Repeat

**Dark Alleyway: London, England**

Foaly cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Hey, um, what's the favor? I'll see what I can do," he repeated nervously. Artemis' smile was unfaltering.

"I need a blue rinse," Artemis said and Holly who had been listening on the same line jumped back in, dividing the screen in two.

"WHAT? No way are we giving you a blue rinse, Artemis! That's Fairy Technology," she leaned in closer to the screen. "You remember what happened _last _time you tried to sell Fairy Technology, _right_?"

"Yes, but I'm not going to sell it. If you don't want to give me a blue rinse out right, then just give me the plans for one," Artemis stared at Foaly, attempting to ignore Holly.

"Artemis… I can't do that; it's against regulations, rules, the whole way of Fairy society. Do you realize how much trouble I could get into?" Foaly quietly warned and this time, Artemis' smile was replaced with a deep set scowl.

"Trouble you could get into? Perhaps you haven't been watching our news as carefully as I thought you were. We're in trouble right now! At the rate this war is going, it's not going to stop until both sides are _dead_," Artemis slid down the wall into a crouched position, hovering over the communicator. "I _need _this Foaly. This isn't for me. This is to put Atomic bombs out of use. A blue rinse is better, it doesn't decimate cities and it doesn't leave radiation, and its at least a quick death," Artemis swallowed, his throat was getting dry again; he coughed into his sleeve. "So are you going to give it to me or not?" Artemis asked coldly. Both Foaly and Holly looked incredibly unhappy, fittingly so.

"I'm sorry, I can't…" Foaly managed to get out and Artemis' face relaxed into an even more frightening face; his eyes half closed and his jaw slightly loosened.

"If I don't get the blue rinse," he leaned onto the wall and straightened his back, "The I will reveal the Fairies to the world," he whispered cruelly.

"You wouldn't dare!" Holly squealed, she could not believe this. His ebony eyes only darted at her for a second.

"I would, and people would believe me. I have evidence, enough to convince even the most skeptical of scientists, not that there are any left, and I'm Master of Science, I have the power to just go on screen at any moment and have the attention of the whole _world_," his eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. He let his threat sink in. "So how about it now?" he flipped open his cell phone. "Do I call my assistant and have him set up my next speech?" Artemis tilted his head to the side.

"Artemis…" Holly muttered and Foaly contemplated in silence. Artemis gave a vampire smile and reached over to his open laptop, pressing a few keys unseen by either Fairy.

"Artemis, I - hey!" Foaly swirled around in the swivel chair as alarms went off around him.

_"Warning - warning - hacker alert - hacker alert,"_ one of Foaly's computer's calm voices stated. Foaly spun on the communicator.

"Artemis, you!" he yelled and began to type furiously on his side, but then he was interrupted again.

_"Warning - warning - virus alert - virus alert,"_ came the computer for a second time.

"What in Frond's name!" Holly squealed as their communicator screens began to go out of focus. Artemis took his communicator off his lap and reached for his laptop. He then began to do what he did best, hack. While Foaly was busy battling the virus, Artemis bypassed him and began the download.

_"Illegal download in progress,"_ Foaly's computer reported and Artemis' devious smile twitched.

"Artemis, stop this right now or I'll fry your computer!" Foaly warned and Artemis only glanced at the communicator for a second before hitting a button and disconnecting triumphantly.

_"Download complete,"_ Foaly's computer stated and Foaly squealed, returning to the communicator.

"Artemis, don't you dare make those rinses! Do you realize what you're going to do? You're going to unleash the perfect murdering bomb upon your civilization! Thousands will die," Foaly protested and Artemis removed a disk from his computer. He turned back to the communicator after emailing copies of the plans to several of his accounts.

"You think I don't know that? Thousands have already died, and will die. Now it's just a question of how many," he said as he waved the disk in front of the screen. "But now you don't have to worry, your precious secret Haven is safe with me," he winked and terminated the call. Almost immediately the device began to vibrate with a return call. Artemis held the shaking communicator in his had and stared at it for a moment, just a moment, before throwing it in the wall in front of him, shattering it into dozens of pieces. He pushed his a few strands of black hair out of his eyes before striding out of the alleyway, and hurrying back to the Protectorate's building; he had some organizing and production to do.

Foaly leaned back in his chair with a shocked look plastered on his face. Artemis had first hacked into his system and deposited a deadly virus within the inner workings of Foaly's network. Then while Foaly was busy taking care of the virus, Artemis had downloaded the plans for the blue rinse. Foaly ground his teeth and prepared himself for what he had to do. He pressed a button on the intercom.

"Hello? This is Foaly, get me the Tribunal."

Holly was fuming as she zoomed over Ireland. She had just finished completing the ritual when that vile call from Artemis came through. She was on her way to London, ready to punch him in the face and steal back those plans. However, there were other plans afoot, apparently.

"Captain Short, come in, this is Commander Kelp," Trouble's voice crackled over her helmet's communicator.

"This is a bad time Trouble, I'm gonna go and kick that little Mud Boy's butt," Holly growled and Trouble yelled over the communicator, making Holly bob in her flight path.

"Negative! Do not make contact with the Mud Man! Meet me at the French chute, and that's a direct order, Captain!" Trouble commanded and disappeared. Holly cursed and swerved to meet her commanding officer. Holly sat near the exit of the chute for a half an hour before calling Ops.

"Foaly, where's everybody! I should be stealing back those plans of yours," she called over the communicator and Foaly sighed.

"I know, I know, but Trouble's just having a little trouble… hehe… with the Tribunal," Foaly explained and Holly's ears twitched.

"The Tribunal? They're in on this too now?" she asked.

"I had to tell them that Artemis had um," Foaly coughed, "stolen my plans for the blue rinse, and boy were they mad," Foaly whistled. "They're still arguing on what to do," he added and Holly let out a frustrated sigh.

"Why? All we have to do is go and get the stupid plans," she stated and then apologized after Foaly's hurt _hey!_ "But knowing the Tribunal this could take hours, hours we don't have. Who knows how fast that Mud Boy is going to put his schemes into action?" Holly cried and shook her head.

"I know, but we have to be patient, besides Artemis needs time to get the resources and put it all together anyway. And that's supposing he's still fluent in Fairy Language and can read my notes," Foaly said with a smile and a nod. Holly was not reassured.

**Hovering over Berlin, Germany**

Artemis sat in his military helicopter, the picture of composure. He did not stare out the windows, he did not fidget, he only stared straight ahead. In his lap he held a strange device, much like a phone, but with only a microphone and no earpiece. His assistant next to him however, was not as composed as he got off a real cell phone.

"Master Fowl sir, the Empire has responded to your speech," the assistant practically yelled over the engines of the helicopter.

"And?" Artemis replied quietly, letting his assistant struggle to figure out what he had said.

"They've bombed London, sir," the assistant replied; Artemis took a deep breath and nodded.

"Are the carriers in place?" he asked, for the first time looking out the window of the helicopter. They were just within the clouds and out of sight of the ground. Only with Artemis' Global Positioning System could they be sure of their location. Artemis studied the convoy that surrounded him. Directly next to his helicopter was a carrier jet, and on the other side of the carrier jet was another helicopter, in front of the carrier jet was Artemis' own personal jet, and surrounding the four was a whole squadron of fighter jets.

"Yes sir," his assistant replied, raising his phone to his ear, readying to relay commands.

"Tell the carriers to drop their cargo, now," Artemis ordered and listened as the man repeated his words into the phone, rather loudly. Artemis watched as the bottom of the carrier slowly opened and a seemingly very small object fell from the jet. His eyes followed the package down until he could no longer see it. There was a long pause as the assistant waited for confirmation from the phone.

"The packages have reached the ground, sir," the assistant reported and Artemis turned on the strange device in his hands, and brought it up to his mouth, still staring at the clouds below.

"_I warned you,_" Artemis whispered into the receiver. There was no sound, nor a brilliant flash of light that pierced through the clouds, but within ten seconds Artemis stopped looking down. "Tell the pilots to bring our convoy down; it's safe," he ordered. His assistant stared at him incredulously for a moment but then reconsidered protesting and relayed his boss' orders. The assistant stared out the window as they broke through the clouds and cried out.

"Pull back up, the cities still standing, and the anti-aircraft guns are still there!"

"No, we'll land now. Tell the pilots to proceed with landing. Do not fear the weapons, they are not manned," Artemis said coolly. His assistant was shaking now, but told the pilots to continue their descent. Artemis sighed as they landed safely.

**Near Orléans, France**

Holly stood as Trouble and a whole LEPrecon unit stepped out of the chute. She walked over to them and looked them over. They were all armed to the teeth.

"What's going on?" Holly asked Trouble directly. He looked around.

"The Tribunal has made it's decision. We are to retrieve Foaly's stolen plans, and assassinate Artemis Fowl once and for all," he stated and Holly took an involuntary step back with a gasp.

"What?"

"You heard me Captain," Trouble said somewhat sternly. "The Tribunal has decided that this is the last straw with Fowl; he's too dangerous. You were on the line when he threatened to reveal the entire Fairy World. We have to dispose of him," Trouble explained but Holly shook her head.

"No, he, that was a bluff," she stammered, "It was just a distraction while he - "

"Hacked into Foaly's databases, set loose a virus and stole plans for a killer bio-bomb," Trouble listed, and Holly had to admit, it sounded pretty bad but she thought of something else.

"But he's a global figure now, won't the Mud Men notice if we suddenly pop up and kill him?" she asked.

"The Mud People are in a war now, they'll just assume it was the enemy and they'll keep fighting, no more the wiser of us," Trouble replied and Holly gulped. "Come on, Fowl's in Germany and he'll surely have the plans on him," Trouble activated his wings and the others did the same, only Holly paused.

"Wait, isn't he at war with Germany?' she asked.

"I don't know, but he's there, so we're following, come on," he motioned, and he and the others shielded and took off. After a slight pause, Holly followed in suit. She ground her teeth as she flew. How could Artemis do this, she thought. He was changed, he was even going straight, last time she had talked to him. Now he was back to blackmailing the Fairies to his advantage and exposing humans to Fairy Technology. What was he thinking?

**Berlin, Germany**

Artemis cleaned some imaginary dirt from his sunglasses before donning them back on. He stood on top of the Reichstag, his helicopter turning off its engines behind him on the roof. There was no movement except that of the few men of the two helicopters that had landed with him and the jets above. Artemis looked over the courtyard and saw his few men studying the few still bodies that littered the grass. Artemis turned around and went to the glass dome, to look in at the German Government, or what used to be the German Government. Delegates still sat at the desks, and a speaker lay slumped on the podium. Artemis closed his eyes and walked back to the edge of the roof. His assistant ran towards him.

"Master Fowl sir, it's amazing. Everyone's dead, just dead! Looks like they dropped dead in the middle of whatever they were doing," the assistant was out of breath. Artemis looked to the sky and watched his jets zoom over head.

"Of course, the blue rinse immediately stops the heart of all living organisms within range; death is instantaneous, it doesn't leave a scratch on the structures and completely consumes itself, leaving no trace behind," Artemis whispered into the wind.

"Is this what it'll be like in all the cities then?" the assistant asked wide-eyed, and Artemis sullenly nodded.

"Bloody hell…" the assistant looked out at the city. Artemis closed his eyes, he had seen enough. The city was intact, but not a single person stirred.

"What in Frond's name…?" Trouble whispered as they slowed over Berlin. Not a single car in the streets moved, and people laid strewn about the sidewalks.

"He's already used it…" Holly remarked incredulously. "But, I've never seen a blue rinse of this proportion…" she gasped.

"Bad news guys," Foaly's voice came over all their communicators. "That wasn't the only one," and several human news flashes appeared on the screens of their helmets. "Berlin, Tokyo, Moscow, Shanghai, and Pyongyang; all were hit with blue rinses at the same exact time," Foaly reported.

"How did Fowl get five blue rinses? I thought you said he would still have to gather the resources," Trouble asked.

"Well, I did a little looking into Fowl's recent orders and he got the preliminary parts of the blue rinses a week ago…" Foaly replied.

"That doesn't make any sense…" Holly whispered but Trouble cut her off.

"Look out, Mud Men jets!" and the fairies spread out to make way as the jets ripped past them.

"See that skinny jet alongside the carrier?" Foaly's voice reappeared, "That's Fowl's private jet," he explained and Trouble nodded to one of the other fairies.

"So if we blow that to pieces then we're good, right?" he asked, but there was no confirmation, it was understood. "Right then, Birch, you know what to do," Trouble waved at the fairy. The other fairy named Birch nodded, and brought out a mini-grenade launcher. Holly was about to voice a protest but he went ahead and pulled the trigger without a hesitation. Holly could only watch wide eyed as the private jet was engulfed in flames and the others around it peeled away startled.

Artemis tore his gaze away from the quiet scene below to the frantic one above. The helicopter pilots ran back to their controls and the rest of the men investigating scurried back to their transports. Artemis' assistant tugged at his sleeve and only then did Artemis begin to hear him.

"Please, Master Fowl sir, we have to get to safety!" he cried. Artemis stared at him for a moment then replied.

"What makes you think the skies are safe when it is there that my plane was just shot?" and with that he jerked his arm out of his assistant's grasp and narrowed his eyes at the sky near his plane. He pushed his sunglasses up his nose and sure enough, there were several unidentified flying objects near the original position, far too small to be any helicopter, and far too stationary to be any jet. Artemis put out his hand. "Give me my bag," he ordered and the assistant complied, bringing Artemis a rather large duffle bag. Artemis rummaged through it for a moment before finding a flare gun. He shot the flare directly above his head, much to his assistant's dismay.

"Look, there!" one of the fairies pointed and all stares drew to the light above the Reichstag. "A helicopter," he added and Holly had her lenses zoom in on the roof.

"Artemis…" she whispered as they focused on one of the two figures.

"A decoy, the plane was a decoy," Trouble realized.

"There's our target," one of the fairies squealed and the unit began to dive towards him, without Holly or Trouble's permission.

Artemis watched as a whole unit of LEPrecon Officers plummeted towards him. He let a small smile creep onto his face, a real one. Holly and Trouble quickly caught up with the other fairies.

"HOLD ON YOU IDIOTS!" Holly yelled into the communicators. The fairy unit stopped a few hundred feet away. "This is either a trap, or he wants to talk with us," Holly gasped. "Either way, _don't shoot him just yet_," she ordered and Trouble stared. She blinked and looked back at him. "Trouble please you've got to trust me on this," she pleaded. There was a moments pause before he minutely nodded.

"Alright, but if he tries anything funny," Trouble hefted his Neutrino to get the idea across.

"Okay," Holly agreed and they proceeded, at a more regulated pace to the roof. Artemis watched as the fairies slowly descended to the roof, still shielded.

"Would you please go get on the phone with headquarters and inform me when we get any updates?" Artemis asked his assistant without taking his eyes off the fairies. His assistant glanced around a bit confused, but then nodded and left for the helicopter, where his phone was. "Hello Holly."

**Author's Note**: Whew, this chapter took a long time to write. I'm not sure why... Hold on for the next chapter, I'm not sure how soon I'll be able to write it considering I have a bunch of exams to study for... eheh. But we are nearing the end my friends! Mwahahaha!


	7. Realization

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

me, obviously: Artemis is just an amazing character like that. He doesn't do his evil things for himself anymore, but everyone thinks he does, so it is indeed quite sad. cries

Chapter Six

Realization

**Berlin, Germany**

Artemis smiled weakly as Holly, Trouble and the other officers approached and Holly looked him over suspiciously. He seemed skinnier than a week ago, his black coat hung loosely around his thin shoulders and his neatly folded collar was a bit wide; his normally pale face seemed now to have taken on a slightly grayish hue, and his bloodless lips were tinged blue. He pushed up his dark sunglasses and effectively concealed his eyes.

"What's going on Artemis?" Holly demanded once she was near enough. "Foaly said that you had already ordered the parts for the blue rinses even before you got the plans. If you already knew how to make one, why drag us into the picture?" Holly and the rest of the fairies remained shielded and in case any of the other humans happened to look out, it would just seem Artemis would be looking out at the city. Artemis chuckled emptily.

"Foaly hasn't figured it out yet? I knew most of the parts I needed, and mostly how to fit them together, but I was missing some crucial parts. I have no doubt that I would have been able to complete my blue rinses without Foaly's plans eventually, but that would have taken time, and I needed the blue rinses as soon as possible," he explained.

"Don't you realize what you've done? Now, with this technology you humans will wipe each other from the face of the Earth!" Holly exclaimed and Artemis ironically smirked.

"Well, I'm sure you fairies wouldn't mind that," he whispered sardonically. Holly blinked in surprise. "Besides, that won't happen. As soon as I die, humans will once again be ignorant of Fairy Technology, and you will once again be the far superior race," the wind swept Artemis' slick bangs from the trim part in his hair and covered his forehead; with a sigh he tucked the hairs back behind his ears.

"You seem awful confident about that; people just don't forget things like the blue rinse unless they're mind wiped, and we can't do that to _everyone_. Somebody will piece together the clues that you leave behind, they'll… steal your notes or something," Holly wanted to hit him.

"Ah, but even if someone _does _manage to reproduce one of _my _blue rinses, they'll never be able to operate it," he let a devious grin spread across his face now, "I input my eternity code into the very being of the mechanisms of the blue rinses, so only I can set and trigger them, only _my _voice and codes are recognized; with me die the human blue rinses," he explained.

"Artemis, you… Artemis you shouldn't have threatened the People again!" Holly cried and Artemis rose his eyebrows.

"So that's what this is about?" he quipped. "No one ever visits me just to say hello," he groaned. Holly hesitated and Trouble stepped forwards.

"Fowl, we've been given orders by the Tribunal to kill you in order to stop you from threatening us again," Trouble's strong voice replaced Holly's, for once, quivering one. Artemis let a muted expression of saddened surprise creep across his angular features.

"I assure you, that will not be necessary. I will not threaten the People ever again," Artemis stated resolutely.

"Artemis, we can't just take your word for it; that's not good enough," Holly shook her head. She refused to cry. She had cried at Root's funeral. Now, she was not going to cry because of Artemis. The thing is, they had been friends. While working as a private investigator she found his help indispensable and his companionship even more so. His witty remarks and sarcastic smiles charmed her to no end, and he had even called her a friend. _He _had called her a friend. Artemis Fowl II had never expected friends, nor had he had any for a long time and Holly had been honored to be one of his first. Now, she could not believe the monster in a trench coat in front of her was the same person. Artemis was about to reply when his assistant shouted his name. Instinctively, the fairies dodged for cover, even though they were all shielded. Artemis turned around and took a few steps towards the helicopter. Trouble and Holly glanced at each other anxiously, if he got on that helicopter it might be a long time before they came into contact again. But no, Artemis stopped after just a few steps.

"Master Fowl sir, it's the Protectorate's main office for you sir," the assistant handed him a cell phone. Artemis took it with a small thanks and turned around, but the man did not leave. Holly watched as a real look of surprise stretched across Artemis tired face. His sunglasses slid farther down his nose, his dark eyes widened and his mouth slowly fell open. He mouthed like a fish out of water for a few moments before muttering something on the phone and turning back around. He chewed on his lip and took deep breaths as he handed the phone back to his assistant. "Sir, are you alright?" the man asked worriedly, taking a step forwards as Artemis swayed on his feet. Artemis took a step to the side to keep from falling.

"It was… they've… it was a surrender. A complete, unconditional surrender. From all of the Empire. First Germany, then Russia and China, then Japan and finally North Korea. We won…" Artemis took another stunned step. "We won…" his assistant's face beamed and the man grabbed hold of Artemis shoulders.

"You did it! It's over! You said it, we've won!" the man practically danced back to the helicopter, repeating "We've won! We've won!" at the top of his lungs. Soon everyone within earshot was celebrating along with him. All except Artemis. He turned back to the fairies, with an unreadable strange look on his face: his eyes were wide and his mouth formed something of a frightened smile. He looked at Holly.

"Three weeks. The war lasted three weeks," he said quietly. "And yet, it feels like an eternity has past since I last saw my manor," he raised a shaking hand. "My manor which I will never again see," he added with a small curl of the lip. Holly took a step forwards.

"Hold on, maybe… maybe we can work something out. A mind wipe or… or a constant surveillance deal. You can have a trial and everything," Holly walked up to him. "Now that its over, you have no more use of the rinses, you can forfeit the plans and then maybe come up with some way to repay the People, right Foaly?" Holly called into her helmet and Foaly coughed unexpectedly.

"Well, maybe he could work for LEP, my department is usually under funded and short of hands, right?" Foaly's voice permeated through Holly's speakers.

"See, we don't have to kill you. It, I mean, you stole from us for a good cause, right? To end the war?" Holly was grabbing at strings. Artemis was shaking his head and Holly's eyebrows drew together as she grew more and more worried. "So, you don't have to do anything drastic, I mean we can't sentence you to death just yet," Holly's voice trailed off and Trouble's rather surprised voice piped up.

"Uh, Fowl, your nose-" he barely pointed before Artemis let out a startled yelp as blood dripped from his nose to his shirt. He jumped back and leaned forwards, blood spilling on the roof below him before he raised his hand to his nose. He rustled through his pockets with the other hand for a handkerchief. He went to his knees with dizziness as he held the white cloth to his draining nose.

"Gawd, 'snot like I gaht enof bood to loose," he could not help murmuring out. Holly felt a knot in the pit of her stomach and she raced to the kneeling scientist.

"Artemis, what's wrong?" she asked sternly, putting a hand on his shoulder and another on his arm.

"I… I'm sick," he finally muttered and pulled his other arm around his stomach.

"What's going on?" Trouble asked as he neared. "He could be faking," Trouble warned and was rewarded with a very exasperated groan from Artemis.

"Holly, he's really not kidding," Foaly's voice echoed like the voice of God.

"What?" Holly felt Artemis' sweating forehead.

"I just did a bio-scan with your camera and found low levels of blood cells and high levels of radiation in his body; he's got radiation sickness," Foaly reported despairingly.

"What!" Holly cried as Artemis began to rock back and forth slightly.

"See, I told you, you wouldn't have to worry about me soon," he said quietly and laughed as blood began to drip from his blackening lips.

"Master Fowl? Master Fowl!" the assistant called from the helicopter, and then quickly began to run towards them.

"Holly, get back!" Trouble ordered quickly. Holly looked back at Artemis with a hesitant glance but then bounded backwards nearer to the edge of the roof. Without Holly supporting him, Artemis slumped to the side with a cough and a groan.

"Master Fowl, what's - ah!" Artemis' assistant stammered when he neared the ailing scientist. "Medic! Somebody get a medic over here!" he shouted at the helicopters. The assistant shifted Artemis onto his side so as not to choke while he coughed weakly.

Artemis's coughs subsided and he stared blankly straight ahead, at the fairies. His dark sunglasses fell to the ground to reveal his bloodshot and darkened eyes. As the medic from the other helicopter raced from the ground up through the Reichstag, Holly's mind was a blur. Artemis had been ill this entire time, the realization struck her. Everything he had done was out of desperation. He was the last gifted scientist, genius, the humans had, and he had been given the responsibility to end the war, and unfortunately for him, there had been a time limit, one he had barely made. Holly shook her head. It was not fair, she was supposed to have saved him, but by the time she had enveloped him in the blanket he was already doomed. Then her magic had attempted to heal his wounds, but he had pulled away. Perhaps if she had held on… her eyes widened, and then her eyebrows drew together in determination.

**Author's Note:** SO CLOSE TO THE END!


	8. The Complications of the Cure

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

aperfectattitude: Thank you again! I hope this is soon enough. And well, Holly does something for him.

me, obviously: Tehe. :-)

Sgarecool1321: Wow, thank you for the numerous enthusiastic reviews. And that is a good question; what _would _the world be like without Artemis Fowl II? All I can say is it would be a very sad world indeed.

refloc: Actually, radiation sickness is the actual term used, although it also goes by radiation poisoning. It's actually quite hard to describe it, as I admit I've only recently learned about it to some extent, even though I have been researching nuclear weapons for a very long time. Anyway, thank you!

Chapter Seven

The Complications of the Cure

**Berlin, Germany**

Holly sprinted forwards, away from the other fairies as fast as she could. She went from a dead run and dropped to her knees beside the crumpled form of Artemis. She rolled him onto his back and tore open his shirt, jacket and coat all in one movement.

"Short! What in Frond's-!" Trouble barely had the time to yell before Holly placed her hands on the sick human's chest and murmured:

"Heal," now, the reason why Trouble was so upset, was because healing any creature from this level of radiation sickness took every last drop of magic, and that meant, no shield. The assistant stumbled backwards with an alarmed cry as Holly seemed to just appear in front of him, with thousands of tiny blue sparks coming from her hands and disappearing into Artemis' body. Trouble hurriedly stunned the assistant before he could voice anything intelligible. He then turned to Holly.

"Just what do you think you're doing! Leaping out in front of a human unshielded!" but his lecture died in his throat as he watched Holly pour an immense current of magic into Artemis. Her large, almond shaped eyes were squeezed tightly shut and her small hands pressed down upon Artemis as his body began to seize. "Somebody give me some cam-foil!" Trouble yelled as the helicopter crew spotted them. The fairies fumbled through their packs but Trouble cursed as the trio of Mud Men jumped out of the helicopter and rushed towards the group of fairies. "Use your sleepers, boys," Trouble ordered a bit more calmly than before as he raised his own stun Neutrino. A few well-aimed shots from the fairies and the three humans were sleeping before they hit the ground. Trouble turned back to Holly and watched with bated interest. They had been sent to kill him for threatening the People once again, but not all had been known and taken into account when that order was made. Holly knew this Mud Man better than anyone else, and she was a good officer. If she really thought that he would endanger the People, then she would have let him die, Trouble was sure of that.

Strange words began to pour out of Artemis' mouth, there were many from several different languages and Trouble found his ears perk as he heard a few words spout from Artemis' mouth recognizable as Fairy Language. The unhealthy pallor from his complexion began to ebb away, and the dark shadows around his eyes disappeared entirely as he relaxed underneath Holly's fingers. The last of the dancing blue sparks danced before submerging within Artemis' chest and Holly leaned back. She was lightheaded and out of breath as she steadied herself with her hands on the ground. She looked up to see Trouble looming over her. Her eyebrows furrowed and her teeth clenched in anticipation.

"I wasn't going to let him die like that," she stated quietly.

"Obviously," Trouble sighed. He looked over in the direction of the humans. "We need to get these guys mind-wiped ASAP," he turned to the team of fairies. "You know what to do, take them down and have 'em wiped," he ordered and other fairies quickly scurried to their tasks; soon, there was no one but Trouble, Holly and an unconscious Artemis on the roof of the Reichstag.

"So what now Captain? We let him go?" Trouble kicked at the ground angrily, "We can't just disobey a direct order from the Tribunal; it would have been a lot easier if you had just let him die, that way, we won't give him false hope," Trouble stared at her and she defiantly stared back.

"He's not going to die," she stated firmly and Trouble shook his head exasperatedly.

"Captain Short - Holly, listen, now what's he going to do? We can take him down to Haven and he'll be tried and they'll have him executed all the same," Trouble knelt down opposite of her. "He's too dangerous."

"He's not dangerous!" Holly squealed and then realized the stupidity of the statement. "Well, I mean, he's not dangerous to us," she specified. "We've got Foaly, and Artemis wouldn't really _do _anything to harm us," she added.

"Don't tell me Holly; I won't be the one giving the sentence," Trouble got up and dusted off his knees. "I'll bring him down, you've spent enough energy," Trouble said quietly and fastened Artemis to his belt before Holly could object. He activated his wings and took off, with Holly following close behind, half under a sheet of cam-foil.

As the fairies disappeared into the distance, a very tired medic reached the roof. He spun around a few times, and walked to and fro about the roof, still huffing and puffing, searching for his comrades. He turned to the helicopter and was even more perplexed to see the crew absent. He suspiciously glanced around as he made his way to the helicopter. Its computers were still on, perhaps the onboard surveillance camera would clear a few things up…

**Solitary Confinement Cell, LEPrecon Headquarters: Haven**

Never before had Artemis felt so much. He was overwhelmed by both emotional and physical pain as he awoke. He sat up stiffly to find his hands cuffed and that he was sitting on a rather small and hard cot. Of course, he could not see any of this as it was pitch black, but he could feel the restraints. He tilted his head back and looked up; nothing there either. He could not place where he was. The last thing he remembered was… talking to Holly. What had they been talking about? Was it their ventures against Jon Spiro? No, that was not it… Was it about the People? No, not really, Artemis remembered, it was about _his _people. His eyes widened and he went to stand up. However, his head met the ceiling with a loud bang and Artemis quickly sat back down, holding his head in his cuffed hands.

He let the ringing in his ears subside as he thought. Yes, he remembered now, all too clearly. He had been dieing. He had closed his eyes, expecting never again to open them. Perhaps he was dead. Perhaps this was Hell: a dark cell with manacles and a far too low ceiling. However, even Artemis could not bring himself to believe that. He brought his hands down from his head, feeling his face. It was smoother now, and the skin was not half so tight; his eyes were no longer sunken and tender. He then realized his shirt and jacket were both torn. He was alive, he realized; a living breathing human still.

There were only two possible explanations for it. One was very unlikely: that he had fallen unconscious and the fairies, suddenly having a turn of heart, had taken him down to Haven and Foaly had used some miraculous cure. Then there was the other, the one Artemis believed: that he had indeed fallen unconscious in his death throes and Holly had saved him with her Fairy magic. Artemis smiled into the darkness as he thought of it. She had saved him again, she had seen through his cold exterior in which he fooled the other fairies, but he had never fooled her. His thoughts were rudely interrupted however, by the sudden opening of a previously unknown door to his left. He instinctively withdrew from the harsh light and squinted at the doorway from behind his spidery hands. A male LEP officer, of what rank Artemis could not decipher for he was still partially blinded, escorted by two others stood in the doorway.

"You are awake then. Come on, you are to attend your sentencing soon," the officer stated and the other two moved Artemis out into the empty hallway. Artemis blinked furiously, not fully aware for a moment. However, that was only a moment. He quickly set his feet stably on the ground and did not budge when the fairies attempted to move him down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, I think I misunderstood you. I thought you said something about a sentencing," he glanced over his shoulder at the officer. The other two, who Artemis assumed were guards, stood at Artemis' sides, well, really waist, attempting to look intimidating. Unfortunately for them, the object of their intimidation was several times their size and cunning, and he knew it too. The officer however, was unfazed.

"You heard me correctly. I am afraid that as soon as you arrived in Haven the Tribunal began deliberation."

"And I get no say? I am not given the chance to defend myself?" Artemis retorted.

"Listen, I don't make the rules. I'm sorry, okay? Besides, both Captain Short and Foaly took the stand for you," Artemis could not help but have the feeling he had heard this specific officer before.

"They did?" Artemis asked.

"Yes, now are you going to walk or will I have to get out my buzz-baton?"

"I can walk," Artemis admitted and began to walk forwards, but he did not get very far before he heard a shrill beeping. He halted in mid-step and glanced over his shoulder to see the officer snap out a communicator. After a few hushed words, the officer snapped the communicator closed.

"Change of plans: we're going to go see Foaly," the officer said hurriedly and motioned to the two guards. "Follow me," he brushed past the Artemis and the two guards then proceeded down the hallway. Artemis followed after a brief poke from one of the fairies. He had to duck through the several doorways and passages they went through but soon enough they came to a rather individual door, one with no visible latch and a camera above it.

"Foaly, I've brought the Mud Man; you called?" the officer looked up at the camera which focused on him and then Artemis for just a second before the door slid open. The officer stepped aside as Artemis was ushered inside. He withheld a smile as he recognized Foaly and Holly, however, any warmth he might have felt, had he not beat it into submission immediately, would have disappeared at the looks on their faces. Both had ashen faces of dread. As Artemis was directed to stand to one side of the room the officer entered and Foaly closed the door. "What's going on, Foaly?" the officer demanded and Foaly turned his rather distracted gaze from Artemis.

"Oh, Trouble, the sentencing has been delayed," Foaly explained.

"What? Why? What've you two done?" Trouble crossed his arms and Holly paled, looking to the floor. Foaly shook his head anxiously.

"We didn't do - I mean, we didn't mean - " Foaly stomped his front hooves. "Oh just look at the screens!" he exclaimed and hit a button. Immediately the screens were lit up with the broadcasts of several human news stations, and the main subject of attention was the apparent kidnapping of the Master of Science, Artemis Fowl II. Artemis reigned in a feeling of relief. The humans knew he was gone; the fairies could not touch him. However, this relief was short lived as Foaly selected a specific channel and put in on all of the monitors. Artemis froze.

A grainy video began to play what Artemis recognized to be the roof of the Reichstag. Soon enough he saw his assistant and himself on the roof, while he was talking to what appeared to be thin air. Then the assistant ran towards the camera, the helicopter and obscured the view for a moment as he reached for his phone and made a call. The assistant ran back and handed the phone to the on-screen Artemis. After a few moments and some unintelligible speech Artemis handed the phone back to the assistant who promptly danced in celebration back to the helicopter, yelling excited to the crew on board. The assistant once again obscured the view of the camera as he spoke with the helicopter crew. Then, as a unit the crew and assistant turned back in Artemis' direction and after a short pause the assistant ran towards Artemis. Once the assistant was out of the way, Artemis was visible hunched over on the ground. The assistant reached him and attempted to rouse him. Then the video showed something horrible.

Holly appeared at Artemis' side with blue sparks pouring from her palms. Of course, she was in full uniform, including her helmet so it was difficult to tell what she was. The assistant was knocked aside by an invisible punch. The video went on to show the stun rays seemingly originate from thin air as the rest of the crew approached. The video stopped shortly after Artemis disappeared underneath the cam-foil.

No one in the room moved or spoke. The only noise was that of the reporter onscreen. She pointed to the screen behind her, which showed a freeze frame of the video, revealing the whole Fairy team. The press had dubbed the Fairies 'the tiny assassins', and provided several explanations for the fairy technology, such as the blue sparks emitted from Holly's palms being electricity with which 'the tiny assassins' subdued Artemis in order to capture him. The reporter went on to consider the possibility that 'the tiny assassins' were a third group in the new World War, and perhaps, were not even human at all.

"We were caught on video…" the officer, namely, Trouble, murmured unbelievingly.

"You bet. And this is being broadcast all over the world. This is no longer a case of mind-wiping a few Mud Men. This is most of the population," Foaly stated gravely. "We've been discovered and what's worse is now the Mud Men are angry at us for 'kidnapping' Artemis. They even had one the Protectorate's second in command make a speech telling us to return him 'or else', which I have to say was pretty funny because he didn't know what to call us," Foaly tapped a hoof on the floor. "Anyways, now the Tribunal and the Council and Internal Affairs are all meeting to try and figure out what to do," Foaly finished and crossed his hairy arms over his chest while his tin foil hat slumped to the side. Holly was staring at the ground guiltily and Artemis could not help but feel responsible, for he, in most respects, was. He had been a threat to the People for several years, even after helping the fairies several times he had never quite been forgiven, and he accepted that. Then, when he held power over the most powerful alliance of Mud Men known to Earth, he threatened to reveal the secret of the fairies in order to manipulate them. Now, even though he had gotten what he needed from the fairies, he still revealed them, even if it was unwittingly.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, staring at the screens. All three fairies directed their attention to him.

"What? Did I just hear - " Foaly quipped in a tone of amazement and Artemis turned his own gaze to him.

"I said I'm sorry," he looked at Holly then, "I never meant to be this much trouble," he folded his hands together, while still in cuffs. "I never meant to _really _reveal you," his words resonated through the room and no one knew what to say, even Trouble did not doubt him any longer, unfortunately, they were probably most of the fairies that did. The silence was interrupted by a small flashing icon on one of Foaly's monitors. He swiveled around and brought up the window to reveal an aged fairy that looked as if he had just finished eating a lemon.

_"Any more news from the Mud Men?" _the fairy asked.

"Just a few more threats pretty much saying if we don't give Fowl back we'll be sorry," Foaly replied and the fairy chewed on something.

"We're already sorry we even _know _him," the fairy spat and Artemis resisted the urge to shrink back into the corner; the fairy had not seen him and Artemis wished that to continue.

"But they have announced something else," Foaly added, raising his head a bit, attempting to get the fairy's attention again.

"Yes, what is it?"

"They know we're either underground or underwater," Foaly reported, his face suddenly even more serious.

"What? Well, they can't reach us, can they?" the fairy delegate leaned forward nervously and Foaly shrugged.

"They haven't been able to yet, and I can deflect most attempts into volcanic shafts and whatnot, but if all the members of the Protectorate suddenly start sending probes in this direction…" Foaly trailed off. The fairy on the screen leaned back and seemed to mull things over.

"We can't just give him back, can we?"

"Um, that might help the whole 'we're really angry, give him back' situation, but I don't think it would solve the whole problem of them knowing about us," Foaly glanced back at Artemis. "Plus, they'd probably interrogate him."

"Can we mind-wipe him and then send him back?" the fairy proposed and Foaly glanced back again to see Artemis had paled considerably and was staring at him with wide eyes.

"I don't think that would be a good idea. Remember what happened last time? No, mind-wiping is _not _a good idea with this Mud Man," Foaly stated. Holly gave a brief smile as she saw Artemis relax quite visibly.

"Alright Foaly, I'm going to put this quite simply. All branches of the government have been debating what to do. What do you think? Should we give go ahead with our original plan and enforce the capital punishment, or give him back? Which do you think would make dealing with the Mud Men easier?" the fairy politician asked in all seriousness and Foaly had to laugh at the sheer stupidity of the statement, and the fact that the politician was asking Foaly.

"I think, that if we were to kill Artemis Fowl II, the Master of Science of the Protectorate… we would have a whole bunch of really pissed countries of Mud Men just waiting to blast the living daylights out of us," Foaly finally replied in earnest. The fairy politician kneaded his hands for a while before replying.

"Alright Foaly, open up a line to the Mud Man in charge of the Protectorate," the politician sighed. "We're going to begin negotiations with the Mud People."

**Author's Note**: Okay, maybe not as close to the end as I thought, but hey! I'm getting there!


	9. Manipulation

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me. ;;

Review Replies:

aperfectattitude: I'm sorry this isn't exactly "soon" but here it is.

NOS mercenary: but I like cliffies... :-p

absolute power: Yes, everything was spur of the moment, the fairies didn't have time to check and see if there were any cameras. And I know! I feel so bad for Arty's poor parents. cries

me, obviously: Well, they don't really let him talk because they're sick of him talking his way out of stuff. lol. And yes, I'm glad Holly finally got rid of his sickness too.

Kit: Erk, sorry. xx

refloc: well, I didn't plan on doing much exploring of Artemis and Holly's relationship... Sorry about not including a trial, but _that _was what has been keeping this chapter away for so long. I just couldn't make it work. So. Here's the next chapter! dies

Chapter Eight

Manipulation

**Unknown Room somewhere in Haven **

Artemis groaned and his eyelids fluttered, too heavy to lift open. _What happened… _was all he could think. One minute he had been watching the Fairy government debate about his fate from a secluded room and the next he was here, wherever here was. He went to rub his aching temples with his hands, but found both of his arms restrained at the wrists. _Then _his eyes shot open. He was restrained in some eerie chair in a sterile room, all alone. He struggled slightly as he realized he was restrained not only at his wrists, but his ankles and waist as well. His ice blue eyes glared up where the wall met the ceiling in front of him, at where a single camera was positioned.

"I demand to know what is going on," Artemis stated solidly from the chair.

"You're not exactly in a position to make demands," a voice called from behind him.

"Holly?" he turned his head sharply, the chair halting anymore movement and blocking his view. He heard little light footsteps inch closer and she came around the other side of the chair. "What's going on?" he repeated. Holly stopped in front of him and began unlocking his restraints.

"The Fairy Government is releasing you to whatever government you work for."

"Just like that?" Artemis asked, rubbing his rather chaffed wrists as Holly stepped back. "Somehow I don't think that's all."

"Well, you're right. You're going to make the Mud People do what we want them to," Holly explained. Artemis arched a slender eyebrow.

"What do you want the Mud People to do?" he asked rather warily and Holly shook her head.

"No one's told me what our conditions are going to be; I'm just getting you where you need to be," she replied and started towards the door, obviously expecting him to follow. He did stand, but his feet remained in place.

"Holly," he called and she stopped in the doorway. "What makes the People so sure I'm going to cooperate? There is some sort of catch; I know it," Artemis' voice was curt and clear. Holly turned back around and hazel clashed with ice blue. She sighed.

"The reason you were unconscious and strapped in that chair was because we had no weight over your decisions, so it was decided that you were to be fitted with a modified version of a seeker-sleeper. If you don't do what the People ask of you, you'll be euthanized wherever you are, with the push of a button," Holly explained mutedly. Artemis seemingly took the news rather well. He hefted his chin a bit higher and took a deep breath.

"With all of these life-and-death situations I'm going through, one would expect me to expect them," he rubbed his temples with one hand and shut his eyes for a moment. "Fine, I'll be your little messenger or whatnot, but I will _not _cooperate if I find the terms to be absolutely unreasonable. You understand that, of course?" he opened his eyes and stared at her. "I do not care about the seeker-sleeper. If the People expect me to betray _my _people just to save my life, they are sorely mistaken," he warned and Holly nodded.

"I know," she nodded slightly. "But we don't have much choice now, do we?" she asked and only silence followed. She turned back around. "Come on, I'm taking you to the surface now," she stated and walked out the door. Artemis gave a short pause before following. The hallways they past through were vacant, and Artemis wondered if the halls had been cleared in preparation for his passage. He shook his head, and thought that was awful presumptuous of him, of course, it was not totally unfounded. They reached a shuttle and Holly motioned Artemis in before her. He sat, rather cramped, behind the pilot's chair as directed.

There was silence inside the shuttle, aside from the shaking of the walls and chairs, as Holly masterfully steered the shuttle away from Haven and towards the surface. Artemis caught her glancing in his direction (over her shoulder actually) several times, before he closed his eyes in an attempt to meditate and gather his thoughts.

"Artemis…"

Or not, he thought, as he reopened his eyes and looked at the back of Holly's head.

"Yes, Holly?" he asked patiently. There was a pause as Holly appeared to mentally debate about what to say next.

"I just wanted to say that I think I understand what you… what you did now," she said, willing her voice to remain strong and even. Artemis tilted his head to the side and folded his hands in his lap, with his eyebrows arched in surprise.

"You… do?" he asked with his voice equally even. Holly nodded minutely.

"You never meant to hurt us, the People. You just… wanted to do your job, and had to do it as fast as you could, because no one else would be able to after you… after you were dead," Holly took a breath, "and so you felt like the weight of the war was on your shoulders, and reacted in the only way you possibly could. I… I understand that. And what you did, even though it was against nearly every rule in the Book, and killed millions, I'm sure it saved countless more," Holly finished and there was a prolonged silence. For a moment a panicked thought raced through Holly's mind that somehow he had escaped while she poured her heart out to him. She spared a moment to glance over her shoulder and was relieved to see him still sitting there. He sat stonily still with a small smile, a real one, playing upon his lips as he stared unblinkingly at her. He gave a small, cheerless laugh.

"Thank you, Holly."

**London, England**

It was a gray day in London, and the downpour of rain seemed never ending as deliberations ran long in the Protectorate's chambers. Artemis stood before the steps to the entrance of the giant building for a long time, just staring, before he began his slow march up them. His clothes had been momentarily fixed and his long jacket swept the miniature water falls that cascaded down the stairs as he scaled them. He held one hand over his right ear to keep a miniscule piece of equipment dry.

Artemis did not pause as he reached the top of the stairs. The guards in front of the door made for him to halt, but he flashed his official identification card and proceeded through before it could click in their minds that he was the missing Master. Those inside were not so slow to recognize him. He strode through the first few steps of the building and immediately heads turned. He walked through the security checkpoint without being challenged, passing underneath the metal detector without making a sound. People slowed to a halt in the hallways as he walked through purposefully. He willed his face to remain his normal emotionless mask as he rounded the final corner and pushed open two double doors, startling the two guards that stared at him wide-eyed. All proceedings in the large, spherical room froze as Artemis walked his way to the center of the room. He stepped up onto the speaker's stage and glared the speaker right from the podium.

"M-Master Fowl?" a representative for the Science Division who Artemis recognized as his own assistant finally broke out incredulously. A wave of recognition swept over the room as the delegates recognized him and it seemed as if everyone began to rise with shock and questions bursting from their lips. However, Artemis stilled everything with a raise of his hand and a stern look. The delegates sat back, and waited as Artemis put his hands on the podium

"I am well aware that you are all wondering as to where I have been," he looked around, "And as to the circumstances surrounding my disappearance," he added and noted the numerous shallow nods coming from the room. "The truth is, my fellow humans, we are not the sole sentient inhabitants of this planet; something I have known for a long, long time," Artemis saw his assistant coming towards him worriedly and Artemis rose his hand sharply again. "Do not approach me lest you want me dead!" he barked sharply and the poor man halted in mid-step. "I have not gone mad, but you _must not come near me_, for I am the prisoner of the People and if you try at any time to recapture me, I will be immediately destroyed," he explained.

"Good Master Fowl, please explain," the Irish Prime Minister pleaded, leaning forwards slightly and Artemis turned his gaze towards the man.

"A modified version of a seeker-sleeper, a small device that can immediately release a chemical through the blood stream, has been implanted within me, and if we do not cooperate with the People's demands, the device will be activated and a potent amount of anesthesia will be injected into my veins and I will die within minutes," Artemis explained. He turned his head to face the other side of the room. "So I am to be an intermediary between our two species, as I am also equipped with a communication device," he motioned to his right ear in which resided yet another small, ingenious device.

"'Between our two species'? Exactly what are we dealing with, Master Fowl?" a familiar voice drew Artemis' attention, and he turned yet again to see the wan figure of President Daily.

"I am afraid I am not at liberty to say, but they are known as 'The People', " Artemis replied and President Daily thinned his lips.

"What do these… the People… want?" the British Prime Minister asked.

"They propose a pact between species. We, humans, are to stay above ground. We are to abort all plans for core-drilling. We are also to dismantle all nuclear weapons and are never again to create a Blue-Rinse," Artemis reported and the politicians shifted in their seats.

"That is a hefty demand, Master Fowl. One that we are not sure that you are worth," the President Daily bristled and Artemis turned back to him with eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps you do not realize that there is much more than my life on the line, Mr. President. I am the intermediary between the humans and the People. If we do not come to a satisfactory agreement, a trans-species war could possibly erupt, and if I must say so myself, that would _not _be a war we humans could win," Artemis warned and President Daily leaned back.

"What do you mean, we could not win?" the Irish Prime Minister asked with a worried brow; Artemis shifted his gaze once again.

"Sir, I have long been in contact with the People, a contact they never wished to happen and one that I used fully to my advantage. The Blue-Rinse we used to defeat the Empire was a modified version of one of the People's own weapons," Artemis nodded slightly. "The rad-gel which has become standard procedure for all nuclear scientists, and anyone slightly exposed to radiation, was also one of their inventions, not mine. I merely introduced humans to their technology, with a few of my own tweaks of course," Artemis took a breath. "The People's technology is far greater than ours and they know everything of us, where we humans, other than myself, know nothing of them," he paused, his eyes roving over the rather unnerved politicians. "So, I must suggest that we come to a peaceful agreement," he finished and several of the delegates nodded in accord while still some glared stonily.

"Master Fowl, we cannot cease all drilling, what are we to do for fuel? And we cannot dismantle all our weapons! We cannot guarantee that the countries outside the Protectorate do so as well, and if they don't then we will be at their mercy!" President Daily shook his head angrily.

"The People manage without fossil fuels; I have been given the plans detailing their power sources and, given some time, will be able to gradually switch the power sources. As for the nuclear weapons disarming, all nations, not just those under the Protectorate, will be subject to this. The People will approach them with the same requests in due time. The People have also agreed to protect our cities, should we disarm as asked and are subsequently attacked," Artemis explained and a wave of dissent roved through the crowd.

"You expect us to make ourselves completely vulnerable so shortly after such a horrid war, and put our faith in another race we know nothing about, that could, supposedly, wipe us out, if they chose to do so?" President Daily growled indignantly. "I think not!"

Artemis' glinting eyes narrowed at the man. "_President_ _Daily_, I think it would be wise of you to swallow that infamous pride of yours. Do you not remember _why _this war was started in the first place?" Artemis let his gaze wander the crowd as he absorbed others reactions. "Can we listen to this man, any longer? It was because of his… unwillingness to compromise, his sense of over-zealous patriotism, his exceptionalism that got us into this war," he returned his gaze to the abashed American president. "I do not wish to lay the blame, President Daily. I just want to make you aware of your own faults, and to steer our Protectorate away from disaster and towards peace," Artemis' accusing voice quieted to an almost apologetic one. He lifted his chin a bit higher and removed his gaze from the slumping form that was President Daily.

"Tell me, members of the Protectorate, for it is I that will relay the news to the People. Are we going to cooperate and let an older, more advanced race lead us along the path of reconstruction, or are we going to ignorantly refuse this priceless offer and, in effect, seal our own fate with the blind violence that we are so well known to them for?" Artemis asked, letting the acoustics of the room make his voice carry. He watched as the people in the room exchanged whispers and consulted cell phones. The British Prime Minister voiced a question.

"We are known to them for blind violence?" he asked evenly. Artemis shifted on his feet and nodded shallowly.

"Yes, the People have not always thought of us in friendly terms. Bad events leave longer lasting impressions than good ones, I believe we all agree. And the People have witnessed many of our failures. Our history, a very short one in comparison to theirs, is tainted with wars, seemingly meaningful wars at the time, but now senseless. The atrocities we have committed against each other are numerous, and the People know them all. We ruin the environment, something that they cherish almost greater than their own lives. We steal from each other. Some of us fatten with wealth while others starve in poverty.

"I am not saying that the People are immune to such things, but they have _learned _from their mistakes, or at least _most _of them have," Artemis felt a small shock in his ear and he smirked; the fairies may not like all he had to say, but he was not about to let them have all the pleasure. He touched the earpiece tenderly; it whined in his ear and he once again lowered his hand. "You all made me the Master of Science. You relinquished power over the Protectorate to me, you trusted me, and I ended the war for you.

"Now, _trust me once again_. It is my opinion that we cooperate. I have long dealt with the People and find that we have _nothing to gain _from rejecting this offer of peace. Of course we will be expected to make sacrifices, but so will they. We are not alone. Do not be foolish. Do not be proud. Let go of human error and learn from the past. Do what is right for _our _people. What is your decision?" Artemis' words almost echoed throughout the room. More whispered circled, but there seemed to be a reluctance to answer.

"Do we not get time to deliberate? To discuss this with our respective governments and people we represent?" the Irish Prime Minister asked.

"No," Artemis snapped curtly. "This matter is to be top secret. No one is to learn the truth of the People's existence unless _absolutely _necessary."

"Well then what are we supposed to say? You just fell out of the sky and we suddenly decided to change the way the world works?" President Daily could not help but voice his skepticism. Artemis kneaded his temples. Along with Foaly's braying laughter in his ear and the constant protestations that this man made (which were actually what Foaly was laughing at), Artemis was getting a beautiful headache.

"You will say nothing. You will call off all alerts and declare wartime officially over. We have no more enemies, supposing we do not make one of the People. If you are asked about the changing of power sources, say you had a change of heart. You decided _not _to kill the only planet that we are currently able to live on. If asked about the new technology we use to replace the power, I will assume all responsibility for it. I will be the human contractor of the People's technology," Artemis heard an angry crunch as Foaly apparently bit into an unsuspecting carrot to vent his anger. Artemis could have sworn he heard something about Foaly being _'so under appreciated'._ "Now, you will _not _be asked about the destruction of the nuclear weapons, because you will not make it public. I do believe only a _fool _would do that," Artemis saw several nods around the room and restrained himself from smiling. Things were finally turning around. "Now, I ask you again, what is your decision? This will be in the form of a vote, all those in favor of the binding pact between the human race and the People, in which we will in effect abandon most wasteful and environmentally dangerous practices and yet gain superior technology and protection, say aye," he called authoritatively. A resounding amount of 'aye's filled the room, even one from President Daily.

**Author's Note:** Okay, I am really sorry in how long this has taken me. Let's just say my life got a lot harder in the past few months. However, now that school is just about finished, I should have some free time to finish this! yay.

One thing I wanted to say about this chapter: I am so sorry. I wrote at least four different versions of it. And I didn't like _any _of them. I wrote one with a trial and that was going nowhere. I wrote one with a direct confrontation of the human and fairy governments, and that didn't really get anywhere either. I also wrote something from Madeline's point of view... but it seemed rather meaningless and depressing. I wrote a lot of other things, but none of them worked. This at least has _some _potential.

I hope you at least _slightly_ enjoyed this chapter and once again, I appologize for the wait and the length of this chapter!


	10. Aftermath

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Artemis Fowl Series, be it characters or plot, I do not own it, so please do not sue me.

Review Replies:

Sgarecool321: Er, well, this isn't a _whole _month later... hehe... sowwie

absolute power: Yay! I'm glad you liked it. And no, that was not the last chapter. This is. I think...

Calli Maxwell: Wow, that's dedication. Three different computers? Tehe.

eli: Thank you. I like action. :-3

froggiesrcool: Wow, "a story worthy of Eion Colfer"... thank you so much!

Chapter Nine

Aftermath

**London, England**

Artemis watched as the politicians filed out of the room, some quite pale in the face and others somewhat intrigued. Some of the latter of the two attempted to wait for the crowd to disperse in an effort to reach the Master of Science, but most eventually turned away, when Artemis turned away from the podium and walked towards the back wall with one hand over his ear with the communicator in it.

_"Good job Arty! I was getting kind of worried there for a moment or two,"_ Foaly's voice quipped over the earpiece.

"Thanks Foaly, are the People happy now?" Artemis asked as he walked through the halls towards his London office.

"_Of course not!"_ Foaly cried almost cheerfully. _"But we'll deal, if you guys keep up your end of the pact."_

"Well, I've done what I can," Artemis sighed as he sat down in his office chair for what would be the last time. He clicked open the Protectorate's main database and began typing away. He was almost sad that he had the passwords, it might have been interesting trying to hack it. He paused for a moment then shook his head, on the other hand, he was beginning to get tired of it all; having the passwords was good.

_"What's that supposed to mean?" _Foaly's suspicious voice came over the earpiece. _"You better not be dying again,"_ Foaly warned and a smile could not help but curl the edges of Artemis' lips in a small chuckle.

"No Foaly, I do believe that I am in perfect physical health, and will be for a rather long time, thanks to Holly," Artemis reassured as he quickly filled out some sort of online form. He posted it on the main database and sent it to the Protectorate officers. He then proceeded to delete every file related to him, or his works, from the entire database. A minute look of reluctance creased his fine brow as he looked at his officer computer. After that short pause, he went to work creating a fatal virus. Within seconds, the computer in front of him was whirring like a rusted motor and after an almost too-quick-to-see "blue screen of death" (as Artemis liked to call it as a child) the computer went blank.

_"What are you doing?" _Foaly called, while munching on yet another carrot.

"Quitting," Artemis stated flatly as he stood up from his chair. He winced involuntarily as Foaly choked on his carrot and coughed on the microphone.

_"What?"_ Foaly cried.

"I am quitting Foaly," Artemis got out a briefcase from the small rosewood closet and began packing his security equipment, which had been well hidden.

_"I got that much, but… you're quitting? Why?" _

A dry laugh escaped the young scientist. "You have to ask? And here I thought you understood. I've had enough of politics. I've had enough developing W.M.D.'s. And I really don't feel like being anyone's servant anymore," he explained.

_"You were a servant?" _Foaly's confused voice quipped and Artemis sighed.

"Never mind," Artemis muttered. He closed the briefcase with a snap and brushed a few more annoying strands of hair from his forehead. "I'm going back to working for myself, and myself alone," Artemis stated resolutely as he closed the door to his office behind him. He nodded at the employees that he past, and studied the Protectorate's headquarters for one last time from behind his mirrored sunglasses. "Now that the People are involved with the human's governments, I'm sure things will work themselves out," he said as he walked past security.

_"You really believe that?" _Foaly asked incredulously. Artemis paused a moment as he shuffled down the stairs towards his waiting limo, complete with Protectorate guards.

"Well, that's what I _hope _happens," he muttered as he stepped into the sleek black automobile. One of the guards closed the door behind him and signaled to the driver and the guard in front. The limo pulled away from the Protectorate steps.

_"And if it doesn't?" _Foaly asked curiously.

"Then I am afraid that my vacation will be short lived," Artemis said with a sigh as he stared out the window at the quickly passing buildings. He was soon onboard a luxury jet, (much like the one he _used _to own, before it was blown up, although not _quite _as nice; it did not have the extra security upgrades, and he was quite appalled to realize that they only had Fiji water, and not Evian).

**Protectorate Landing Strip; Dublin, Ireland**

Artemis sighed as he proceeded to disembark from the jet. It was raining rather hard and the surplus of Protectorate Guards lined his short pathway from the jet to the newly awaiting limo. The jet door opened and the steps extended to the ground with a loud _thump_. The flight attendant opened an umbrella on the top of the stairs and handed it to Artemis as he stepped out into the rain. He grabbed it with an almost silent thank you, and proceeded directly to the open limo. He handed the umbrella to one of the guards as he tucked his briefcase in the vehicle and slid in himself.

He settled in as the guards closed the door behind him and the limo began to move. He noticed the dark shield between the passenger compartment and the driver's was already up. He was immediately wary, but relaxed as a tiny shifting movement caught the corner of his eye. He turned to face the far right corner, a smile lighting up his thin features.

"To what do I owe yet _another _visit? I hope I have not done anything that makes the People regret letting me go," Artemis called quietly in Fairy Language. Holly sat shielded in the dark corner.

"Well, I don't think they're too happy with you period, but that's not why I'm here," she stated.

"Then why are you here, Holly?" he asked. A toothy grin spread across her face.

"Just visiting to say hello," she replied and Artemis could not help but laugh.

"Finally," he added after his laughter died down. He leaned back in his seat and stared out the window at the falling rain drops. "So how is Haven fairing with the recent developments? Has the news been released to the public yet?" Artemis asked.

"Things are okay, I guess. The news was just released, so we aren't sure how the public is going to fully react. There haven't been any major crises but there has been enough mass hysteria that most of LEP is just out there trying to make fairies remain calm," Holly took a breath, "It's what we've dreaded for so long, you know? Getting exposed…" she muttered, and Artemis' eyebrows twitched.

"Well, you aren't _totally _exposed…" he attempted to lighten the situation. "Besides, now you've got a hand in what's going on up on the surface, perhaps, eventually, you can return to the surface," he added.

"I… don't think that's likely," Holly stated after a minute and Artemis shrugged. They sat in silence for a long time as the limo sped through the rain. "So, what are you going to do now?"

A small smile spread across his face as he looked out through the window, as the limo pulled up to Fowl Manor. "Isn't it obvious? Go home," he said almost cheerfully. He wanted to disregard the men in front and open his own door for once, to rush up the steps to the manor and run in to his family, but he held his composure. Holly shielded as one of the guards opened Artemis' door. Artemis said a quiet thank you, and did not wait for them to unload his baggage. Artemis clung absentmindedly to his briefcase that contained his computer as he walked up the steps to Fowl Manor.

Artemis pushed on the door, and was slightly amazed to find it unlocked. He unconsciously made a mental note in the back of his mind to talk to Butler about it, but quickly forgot as he entered the vacant hallway. He hurriedly walked into the parlor to find that too was empty, as was his study, the dining room, and the kitchen. His brow had begun to furrow in frustration when he stopped at the door to the back patio. His tense frame immediately relaxed, and the lines on his face disappeared when he saw his parents sitting patiently having tea out on the patio, his wife sitting on the marble bench not too far away, and Butler scanning the grounds. And it was Butler who first saw Artemis as his gaze turned towards the house. Artemis could have laughed at the look on his face. It was not often that something surprised _the _Butler.

Artemis' parents soon turned around themselves, alerted by Butler's sudden pause. Angeline clapped a hand to her mouth as her eyes already started to tear, and Artemis Senior's formerly grief-stricken face lit up in a smile. Artemis smiled as Butler regained enough of his senses.

"Madeline," Butler called almost quietly. The petite Welsh woman turned around.

"Yes?…" she started but froze when she saw Artemis. He could not restrain a small laugh then at her wide-eyed beauty. "Artemis!" she cried and jumped up from the bench. It was barely a moment before she reached him and flung her arms around his neck. Without a second's hesitation Artemis brought up his own arms to wrap them around his sobbing wife. And no one cared to notice he, for the first time in his life, dropped his briefcase, and his laptop within it.

THE END

**Author's Note**: I'M FINISHED! I really want to thank each and every one of my wonderful reviewers, and especially the ones that have been there since the beginning and gave me so many beautiful reviews. I could not have done it without all of you guys, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you!


End file.
